---
title: arithmetic — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «arithmetic» in the school dictionary: Arithmetic is the part of maths about numbers and the four basic operations: adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# arithmetic

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Arithmetic, someone, We, Mental arithmetic, you, 3 · **What happens:** be, add, subtract, multiply, divide, work out · **To what, where:** part, sums, it, numbers, arithmetic test, you

<!-- .vabout -->
«arithmetic» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [arithmetic in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/arithmetic.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Arithmetic is the part of maths about numbers and the four basic operations: adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:arithmetic:m1:1
# text = Arithmetic is the part of maths about numbers and the four basic operations: adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.
1	Arithmetic	Arithmetic	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	maths	math	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
7	about	about	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	numbers	number	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
11	four	four	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	13	nummod	_	_
12	basic	basic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	operations	operation	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
15	adding	add	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
17	subtracting	subtract	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
19	multiplying	multiply	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	15	conj	_	_
20	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
21	dividing	divide	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	19	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Arithmetic | the part |  |  |  | of maths about numbers and the four basic operations | tree rules |
| 2 | **add** *speech: assert* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn mix-22.1-2 «NP V ADVP-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **subtract** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn multiply-108-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **multiply** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **divide** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Arithmetic is the working out of sums, or how good someone is at it.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:arithmetic:m2:1
# text = Arithmetic is the working out of sums, or how good someone is at it.
1	Arithmetic	Arithmetic	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	working	work	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	out	out	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	sums	sum	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
10	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	11	advmod	_	_
11	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	15	nsubj	_	_
13	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
14	at	at	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **work out** | present · progressive | Arithmetic | sums |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sum=Topic |
| 2 | **is** | present | someone |  |  | it |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: informal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The arithmetic of something is the numbers behind it, like «the arithmetic of the budget».

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:arithmetic:m3:1
# text = The arithmetic of something is the numbers behind it, like «the arithmetic of the budget».
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	arithmetic	arithmetic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	nmod	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	numbers	number	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
8	behind	behind	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	like	like	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	arithmetic	arithmetic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	appos	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	budget	budget	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the arithmetic of something | the numbers |  | it |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We have an arithmetic test on Friday.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:arithmetic:x1:1
# text = We have an arithmetic test on Friday.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	arithmetic	arithmetic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	Friday	Friday	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | We | a arithmetic test |  |  |  | on Friday | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent test=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mental arithmetic helps you add up prices in the shop.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:arithmetic:x2:1
# text = Mental arithmetic helps you add up prices in the shop.
1	Mental	mental	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	arithmetic	arithmetic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	helps	help	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	add	add	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	up	up	ADP	RP	_	5	compound:prt	_	_
7	prices	price	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	shop	shop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | present | Mental arithmetic | you |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent you=Beneficiary clause=Theme |
| 2 | **add up** *speech: assert* | infinitive | you *not said here* | prices |  | the shop |  |  | vn mix-22.1-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent price=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Arithmetic includes adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:arithmetic:x3:1
# text = Arithmetic includes adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.
1	Arithmetic	Arithmetic	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	includes	include	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	adding	add	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	subtracting	subtract	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	multiplying	multiply	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	conj	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	dividing	divide	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **include** | present | Arithmetic |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **add** *speech: assert* | gerund | Arithmetic *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn mix-22.1-2 «NP V ADVP-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **subtract** | gerund | Arithmetic *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn multiply-108-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **multiply** | gerund | Arithmetic *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **divide** | gerund | Arithmetic *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
3, 7, 11, 15 is an arithmetic sequence, adding 4 each time.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:arithmetic:x4:1
# text = 3, 7, 11, 15 is an arithmetic sequence, adding 4 each time.
1	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	11	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
3	7	7	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	11	11	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	15	15	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	flat	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
9	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	arithmetic	arithmetic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	sequence	sequence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	adding	add	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	acl	_	_
14	4	4	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	13	obj	_	_
15	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	16	det	_	_
16	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | 3 | a arithmetic sequence |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **add** *speech: assert* | gerund | a arithmetic sequence *not said here* | 4 |  |  | time |  | vn mix-22.1-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent 4=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Check your arithmetic: 6 × 7 is 42, not 48.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:arithmetic:x5:1
# text = Check your arithmetic: 6 × 7 is 42, not 48.
1	Check	check	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	arithmetic	arithmetic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	5	punct	_	_
5	6	6	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	9	nsubj	_	_
6	×	×	SYM	SYM	_	7	case	_	_
7	7	7	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nmod	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	42	42	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	1	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	48	48	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **check** | imperative | you *not said here* | your arithmetic |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent arithmetic=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | present | 6 × 7 | 42 |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Simple arithmetic shows we don't have enough money.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:arithmetic:x6:1
# text = Simple arithmetic shows we don't have enough money.
1	Simple	simple	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
2	arithmetic	arithmetic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	shows	show	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
4	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
5	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	acl:relcl	_	_
8	enough	enough	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **have** | present · do-support | we | enough money |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent money=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her arithmetic is very quick.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:arithmetic:x7:1
# text = Her arithmetic is very quick.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	arithmetic	arithmetic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	very	very	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	quick	quick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Her arithmetic |  |  |  |  | quick *property* | tree rules |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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