Breaking+Down+Unknown+Words

Sometimes we get stuck when reading because we come across a word that we don't know. When this happens on the Regents, we may get a problem wrong that we actually know how to solve simply because we were unsure of what the question meant. This lesson is going to show you some strategies for breaking down these words that we don't know to figure out their meaning, even if we've never seen the word before.

There are 3 main strategies for breaking down unknown words: 1. Using Prefixes 2. Using Suffiixes 3. Using Root Words and Compound Words

A prefix is something that is added onto the beginning of a word that changes its meaning.
 * Using Prefixes:**

For example, in the word "resolve." Here the prefix is "re-" and it's used to mean "again." We can then determine that the word "resolve" means to solve again. Think of an example where you have had an argument with someone and you were asked to resolve the issue. What this means is to go back to that person and solve the issue again in a new way.

Here are some commonly used prefixes (in math) and their meanings:


 * **Prefix** || **Meaning** || **Example** ||
 * un- || not || uncooked = not cooked ||
 * im- || not || immature = not mature ||
 * uni- || one || unicycle = one wheel ||
 * bi- || two || bicycle = 2 wheels ||
 * poly- || many || polygon = a shape with many sides ||
 * co- || together || cooperate = work together ||
 * sub- || under || submarine = under water ||

A suffix is something that is added onto the end of a word that changes its meaning. It's just like a prefix, but at the end of the word instead of the beginning. For example, the suffix "-ed" is added to end of many words to show that they are in the past tense. Suffixes aren't used that often in math, so we'll skip this one for now.
 * Using Suffixes:**

Using root words is the most important strategy for breaking down unknown words in math. A root word is a word that is used to build a new word (a word inside another word). Often, if we can identify and define what the root word is, we can determine what the new word means, even if we've never seen the word before. We can also use this to figure out how to do certain concepts in math.
 * Using Root Words and Compound Words:**

For example, the concept of substitution. Even if we don't know what substitution is, we can figure it out by looking at the root word. What word that we know is used to build the word "substitution" (in other words, what word do you see in the word "substitution")? - The word "substitute" is used to make the word "substitution" - We know that "substitute" means to replace one thing with another equal or similar thing (think about a substitute teacher). - Therefore, substitution must have something to do with replacing something with something else.

Sometimes, a word will be made of two words put together. These words are called compound words. For example, the word "underestimate." What are two words that are combined here? - The words are "under" and "estimate" - "Under" means below and "Estimate" means to make an educated guess about the amount of something. - Therefore, "underestimate" must mean that we make a guess that's below the actual amount

Define each word or concept below. For each word or concept, use the three strategies described above (prefixes, suffixes, and root/compound words). Describe in a few sentences how you used the strategies for each word/concept. If you know the definition without using the strategies, explain how the strategies could be applied by someone who does not know the word. EMAIL your responses to your teacher (Tegan - teganolympus@gmail.com or Jeph - olympusjeph@yahoo.com)
 * Practice:**

1. undecided 2. unforgettable 3. undercover 4. overabundance 5. predominant