pronunciation note: The noun is pronounced (ərɪθmɪtɪk). The adjective is pronounced (ærɪθmetɪk).
1. uncountable noun
Arithmetic is the part of mathematics that is concerned with the addition, subtraction, multiplication,and division of numbers.
...teaching the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic.
...an arithmetic test.
2. uncountable noun [oft poss NOUN]
You can use arithmetic to refer to the process of doing a particular sum or calculation.
4,000 women put in ten rupees each, which if my arithmetic is right adds up to 40,000rupees.
3. uncountable noun
If you refer to thearithmetic of a situation, you are concerned with those aspects of it that can be expressed in numbers, and how they affect the situation.
The budgetary arithmetic suggests that government borrowing is set to surge.
The arithmetic is finely balanced: the socialists and their allies do not have amajority.
4. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Arithmetic means relating to or consisting of calculations involving numbers.
...simple arithmetic operations such as adding or multiplying numbers.
arithmetic in British English
(əˈrɪθmətɪk)
noun
1.
the branch of mathematics concerned with numerical calculations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
2.
one or more calculations involving numerical operations
C13: from Latin arithmētica, from Greek arithmētikē, from arithmein to count, from arithmos number
arithmetic in American English
(əˈrɪθmətɪk; for adj., ˌ ærɪθˈmɛtɪk; ˌ ɛrɪθˈmɛtɪk)
noun
1.
the science or art of computing by positive real numbers, specif. by adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing
2.
knowledge of or skill in this science
her arithmetic is poor
adjective
3.
of, based on, or using arithmetic
: also ˌarithˈmetical
Derived forms
arithmetically (ˌarithˈmetically)
adverb
Word origin
ME arsmetrike < OFr arismetrique (infl. in form by L ars metrica, the art of measurement) < L arithmetica < Gr (hē) arithmētikē (technē), (the) counting (art) < arithmētikos, arithmetical < arithmein, to count < arithmos, number
Examples of 'arithmetic' in a sentence
arithmetic
When people practise a task such as mental arithmetic it becomes automatic and unconscious, freeing up space in the working memory for more complex calculations.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Still, you can't help doing some mental arithmetic.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Half are doing as well at reading, writing and arithmetic as white British pupils at primary school.
The Sun (2016)
To this day his mental arithmetic cannot be faulted.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
This can be explained by simple arithmetic.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They also may have problems with the formal code of school arithmetic.
Siann, Gerda & Ugwuegbu, Denis C. E. Educational Psychology in a Changing World (1988)
How are you at writing and arithmetic?
George Eliot Middlemarch (1872)
The builders may have carried the design in their heads like mental arithmetic.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Simple economic arithmetic demands that this be offset by fund flows from other countries.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Everyone tried to answer this question with mental arithmetic before giving up.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It is a simple matter of arithmetic.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He claims this is a matter of simple arithmetic.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It is hoped the move will ensure that they are ready for algebra and more complex arithmetic at secondary school.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Reading, writing and arithmetic as they used to be called.
The Sun (2015)
Not being very good at arithmetic, she gets to work hatching the eggs.
Christianity Today (2000)
It's more graphically polished and has memory and visual tests alongside mental arithmetic.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
We had reading, writing and arithmetic.
Max Arthur Lost Voices of the Edwardians: 19011910 in the words of the Men & Women Who WereThere (2006)
Only the most rudimentary instruction in reading, writing and arithmetic had as yet taken its place.
Bryant, Arthur The Search for Justice - a history of Britain and the British people Volume III (1990)
We choose a calculator over mental arithmetic; vitamin pills over a balanced diet.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
This may involve arithmetic operations being carried out on data being held or the moving of data from one part of the computer to another.
Samways, B. & Byrne-Jones, T. Computers Basic Facts (1983)
So the emphasis behind arithmetic in school has moved away from learning a set of procedures blindly to understanding how numbers work and how to solve problems.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
After that, the arithmetic becomes increasingly complex and would require a cold compress over the forehead if one tried to explain its many intricacies.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
They were each asked to make a presentation explaining why they were best for the job, before being given a five-minute test of mental arithmetic.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Word lists with
arithmetic
Branches of mathematics
In other languages
arithmetic
British English: arithmetic NOUN
Arithmetic is the part of mathematics that is concerned with the addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of numbers.
...teaching the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic.
American English: arithmetic
Brazilian Portuguese: aritmética
Chinese: 算术
European Spanish: aritmética
French: arithmétique
German: Rechnen
Italian: aritmetica
Japanese: 算数
Korean: 산수
European Portuguese: aritmética
Latin American Spanish: aritmética
All related terms of 'arithmetic'
arithmetic mean
an average value of a set of integers , terms , or quantities , expressed as their sum divided by their number
mental arithmetic
calculations involving addition , subtraction , multiplication or division carried out in the mind only rather than on paper or using a device such as a calculator
arithmetic progression
a sequence of numbers or quantities, each term of which differs from the succeeding term by a constant amount, such as 3,6,9,12
arithmetic logic unit
the part of a central processing unit that performs arithmetic and logical operations
Av
(in the Jewish calendar ) the fifth month of the year according to biblical reckoning and the eleventh month in the civil year, usually falling within July and August
average
An average is the result that you get when you add two or more numbers together and divide the total by the number of numbers you added together.
Chinese translation of 'arithmetic'
arithmetic
(əˈrɪθmətɪk)
n(u)
(Math) 算术(術) (suànshù)
(in particular calculation) 计(計)算 (jìsuàn)
the arithmetic (of particular situation) 数(數)字 (shùzì)