Washington Standards
Washington 3rd Grade Math Standards
All 29 Washington math standards for 3rd grade, each explained in plain English. The official wording is one click away under each one.
29 standards
Data Analysis
7 standardsFormulate statistical investigative questions.
M.3.DA.DS.1
Pose questions about topics students care about that different kinds of data could answer, like how much time classmates spend reading on weekends.
Official wording
Generate questions to investigate topics of interest to students that can be answered with a variety of data or data sets.
Collect and consider data.
M.3.DA.DS.2
Gather data through surveys, sorting or measuring, and think about how to collect it so it gives enough information to answer the question.
Official wording
Collect and consider data in a variety of ways including surveys, groupings, measurement, etc., and ask in what ways the data can be collected to capture as much information as necessary to inform the investigative question.
Analyze the data.
M.3.DA.DS.3
Display data in several ways, including with technology, study scaled graphs and line plots for patterns, and notice how the data's source and size affect accuracy.
Official wording
Represent data in a variety of ways including technology. Critically analyze data visualizations, including bar graphs, line plots, and scaled picture graphs with various scales. Analyze data sets with several categories by making comparisons, looking for patterns and/or making predictions and recognize the source and amount of data collected may impact the accuracy.
Interpret results.
M.3.DA.DS.4
With teacher guidance, explain results and how groups differ, then state what the data says about the question, like one class recycles more than another.
Official wording
Interpret and communicate results, describing difference between groups, with teacher guidance. Make a statement(s) about the data collected to support the answer to the investigative question.
Solve problems involving measurement and estimation.
M.3.DA.MD.2
Measure and estimate liquid volume and mass in grams, kilograms and liters, and solve one-step story problems about them using any of the four operations.
Official wording
Measure and estimate liquid volumes and masses of objects using standard units of grams (g), kilograms (kg), and liters (l). Add, subtract, multiply, or divide to efficiently, flexibly, and accurately solve one-step real world word problems involving masses or volumes that are given in the same units, e.g., by using drawings (such as a beaker with a measurement scale) to represent the problem.
Represent data.
M.3.DA.MD.3
Make scaled picture graphs and bar graphs for several categories, and use a scaled bar graph to answer one- and two-step how many more or fewer questions.
Official wording
Create a scaled picture graph and a scaled bar graph to represent a data set with several categories. Solve one- and two-step "how many more" and "how many less" problems using information presented in scaled bar graphs.
M.3.DA.MD.4
Measure lengths with a ruler to the nearest half or quarter inch and show the results on a line plot marked in wholes, halves or quarters.
Official wording
Generate measurement data by measuring lengths using rulers marked with halves and fourths of an inch. Show the data by making a line plot, where the horizontal scale is marked off in appropriate units according to the data— whole numbers, halves, or quarters.
Quantity
12 standardsRepresent and solve problems involving multiplication and division.
M.3.Q.OA.1
Read a multiplication fact as equal groups, like 5 × 7 as 5 groups of 7 objects.
Official wording
Interpret products of whole numbers, e.g., interpret 5 × 7 as the total number of objects in 5 groups of 7 objects each. For example, describe a context in which a total number of objects can be expressed as 5 × 7.
M.3.Q.OA.2
Read a division fact as sharing or grouping, like 56 ÷ 8 as 56 objects split into 8 equal shares.
Official wording
Interpret whole-number quotients of whole numbers, e.g., interpret 56 ÷ 8 as the number of objects in each share when 56 objects are partitioned equally into 8 shares, or as a number of shares when 56 objects are partitioned into equal shares of 8 objects each. For example, describe a context in which a number of shares or a number of groups can be expressed as 56 ÷ 8.
M.3.Q.OA.3
Solve story problems within 100 about equal groups, arrays and measurements by multiplying or dividing, using drawings and equations with a letter for the missing number.
Official wording
Use multiplication and division within 100 to efficiently, flexibly, and accurately solve real world word problems in situations involving equal groups, arrays, and measurement quantities, e.g., by using drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.
M.3.Q.OA.4
Find the missing number in a multiplication or division fact, like 8 × ? = 48.
Official wording
Determine the unknown whole number in a multiplication or division equation relating three whole numbers. For example, determine the unknown number that makes the equation true in each of the equations 8 × ? = 48, 5 = ? ÷ 3, 6 × 6 = ?.
Explore and use properties of multiplication to understand the relationship between multiplication and division.
M.3.Q.OA.5
Multiply and divide using properties of operations as strategies, like finding 6 x 7 as 6 x 5 plus 6 x 2.
Official wording
Use strategies to multiply and divide by applying and extending understanding of the properties of operations.
M.3.Q.OA.6
Treat division as finding a missing factor, like solving 32 ÷ 8 by asking what number times 8 makes 32.
Official wording
Demonstrate understanding of division as an unknown-factor problem.
Multiply and divide within 100.
M.3.Q.OA.7
Multiply and divide within 100 quickly and correctly, using fact families or properties of operations, like knowing 6 x 9 = 54 means 54 ÷ 9 = 6.
Official wording
Efficiently, flexibly, and accurately multiply and divide within 100, using strategies such as the relationship between multiplication and division (e.g., knowing that 8 × 5 = 40, one knows 40 ÷ 5 = 8) or properties of operations.
Solve problems involving the four operations and identify and explain patterns in arithmetic.
M.3.Q.OA.8
Solve two-step story problems with any of the four operations, show them with models and equations using a letter for the unknown, and check answers by estimating.
Official wording
Efficiently, flexibly, and accurately solve two-step real world word problems using the four operations. Represent these problems using visual models and equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental and estimation strategies.
M.3.Q.OA.9
Spot patterns in the addition and multiplication tables and explain them, like why 4 times any number is even.
Official wording
Identify arithmetic patterns (including patterns in the addition table or multiplication table) and explain them using properties of operations. For example, observe that 4 times a number is always even, and explain why 4 times a number can be decomposed into two equal addends.
Use place value understanding and properties of operations to perform multi-digit arithmetic.
M.3.Q.NBT.1
Round whole numbers to the nearest ten or hundred, like 347 to 350 or to 300.
Official wording
Use place value understanding to round whole numbers to the nearest 10 or 100.
M.3.Q.NBT.2
Add and subtract within 1000 quickly and correctly with place value strategies, number properties and the link between adding and subtracting, like 703 - 288.
Official wording
Efficiently, flexibly, and accurately add and subtract within 1000 using strategies based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction.
M.3.Q.NBT.3
Multiply a one-digit number by a multiple of ten from 10 to 90, like 5 × 60 or 9 × 80.
Official wording
Multiply one-digit whole numbers by multiples of 10 in the range 10–90 (e.g., 9 × 80, 5 × 60) using strategies based on place value and properties of operations.
Relationships
6 standardsDevelop understanding of fractions as numbers.
M.3.R.NF.1
Explain that a unit fraction like 1/4 is one of the equal parts a whole is split into, and that fractions like 3/4 are built from unit fractions.
Official wording
Understand a unit fraction as the quantity formed when a whole is partitioned into equal parts and explain that a unit fraction is one of those parts; understand fractions are quantities composed of unit fractions.
M.3.R.NF.2
See fractions as numbers on a number line by splitting the space from 0 to 1 into equal parts and counting parts from 0, like 2/3 is two jumps of 1/3.
Official wording
Understand a fraction as a number; and represent fractions on a number line diagram.aRepresent one part of a whole divided into equal pieces on a number line by using the segment from zero to one as the whole and dividing it into equal parts based on how many pieces the whole is split into. Understand that each part has the size of one divided by the total number of parts, and that the endpoint of the first part starting at zero marks the location of this fraction on the number line.bRepresent a fraction a/b on a number line diagram by marking off a lengths 1/b from 0. Recognize that the resulting interval has size a/b and that its endpoint locates the number a/b on the number line.
M.3.R.NF.3
Find and explain equal fractions like 1/3 = 2/6, write whole numbers as fractions, and compare fractions with a shared top or bottom number using >, = or <.
Official wording
Explain equivalence of fractions and compare fractions by reasoning about their size.aUnderstand two fractions as equivalent (equal) if they are the same size, or the same point on a number line.bRecognize and generate simple equivalent fractions, e.g., 1/2 = 2/4, 4/6 = 2/3. Explain why the fractions are equivalent, e.g., by using a visual fraction model.cExpress whole numbers as fractions, and recognize fractions that are equivalent to whole numbers. Examples: Express 3 in the form 3 = 3/1; recognize that 6/1 = 6; locate 4/4 and 1 at the same point of a number line diagram.dCompare two fractions with the same numerator or the same denominator by reasoning about their size. Recognize that comparisons are valid only when the two fractions refer to the same whole. Record the results of comparisons with the symbols >, =, or <, and justify the conclusions, e.g., by using a visual fraction model.
Geometric measurement: understand concepts of area and relate area to multiplication and to addition.
M.3.R.MD.5
Understand area as the number of unit squares that cover a flat shape with no gaps or overlaps.
Official wording
Recognize area as an attribute of plane figures and understand concepts of area measurement.aA square with side length 1 unit, called "a unit square," is said to have "one square unit" of area, and can be used to measure area.bA plane figure which can be covered without gaps or overlaps by a certain number of unit squares is said to have an area equal to that number of square units.
M.3.R.MD.6
Find the area of a shape by counting the unit squares that cover it, in square centimeters, meters, inches or feet.
Official wording
Measure areas by counting unit squares (square cm, square m, square in, square ft, and improvised units).
M.3.R.MD.7
Find the area of a rectangle by multiplying its side lengths, and find the area of an L-shaped figure by splitting it into rectangles and adding.
Official wording
Relate area to the operations of multiplication and addition.aFind the area of a rectangle with whole-number side lengths by tiling it, and show that the area is the same as would be found by multiplying the side lengths.bMultiply side lengths to find areas of rectangles with whole-number side lengths in the context of solving real world and mathematical problems, and represent whole-number products as rectangular areas in mathematical reasoning.cUse tiling to show in a concrete case that the area of a rectangle with one side split into two parts is equal to the sum of the areas of two smaller rectangles. Use area models to represent the distributive property in mathematical reasoning.dRecognize area as additive. Find the area of figures made up of adjoining rectangles by decomposing them into non-overlapping rectangles and adding the areas, applying this technique to solve real world problems.
Spatial Reasoning
4 standardsReason with shapes and their attributes.
M.3.SR.G.1
Explain that rhombuses, rectangles and squares share features like four sides that make them all quadrilaterals, and draw quadrilaterals that are none of these.
Official wording
Demonstrate understanding that shapes in different categories (e.g., rhombuses, rectangles, and others) may share attributes (e.g., having four sides), and that the shared attributes can define a larger category (e.g., quadrilaterals). Recognize rhombuses, rectangles, and squares as examples of quadrilaterals, and draw examples of quadrilaterals that do not belong to any of these subcategories.
M.3.SR.G.2
Split a shape into equal-area pieces and call each piece a unit fraction of the shape, like 6 equal pieces that are each 1/6 of it.
Official wording
Partition shapes into parts with equal areas. Express the area of each part as a unit fraction of the whole.
Solve problems involving measurement and estimation.
M.3.SR.MD.1
Read and write time to the nearest minute, find elapsed minutes, and solve story problems that add or subtract minutes, like timing recess on a number line.
Official wording
Tell and write time to the nearest minute and measure time intervals in minutes. Efficiently, flexibly, and accurately solve real world word problems involving addition and subtraction of time intervals in minutes, e.g., by representing the problem on a number line diagram.
Geometric measurement: recognize perimeter.
M.3.SR.MD.8
Solve polygon perimeter problems, including finding a missing side, and show rectangles that share a perimeter but not an area, or share an area but not a perimeter.
Official wording
Efficiently, flexibly, and accurately solve real world and mathematical problems involving perimeters of polygons, including finding the perimeter given the side lengths, finding an unknown side length, and exhibiting rectangles with the same perimeter and different areas or with the same area and different perimeters.
The official Washington documents
- Washington State K–12 Learning Standards for Mathematics (WA Math 2026) · adopted June 18, 2026 · required from 2027-28
- Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (Washington adoption) · replaced · adopted July 20, 2011 · required through 2026-27
Washington State Learning Standards for Mathematics by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction are available under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0).
Common Core State Standards © Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.
The plain-English lines are EMStudio's own explanations, shown beside the official wording. They are not part of the standards.