Numeracy is the ability to understand and use numbers, especially the numbers encountered in everyday life. It is considered to include the ability to count, and to add, subtract, multiply and divide two integers. The term is by analogy with literacy. Innumeracy is a lack of numeracy.

Numeracy is often included in literacy programs, and is often seen as included in literacy.

Numeracy is considered a skill.

The pathological inability to work with numbers, usually associated with neurological lesions, is Dyscalculia.

Numeracy is also called number sense, as in "common sense about numbers".

See also

• National Numeracy Strategy

External links

• Drexel Math Forum page on adult numeracy (http://mathforum.org/teachers/adult.ed/)
• The UK National Numeracy Strategy website (http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/numeracy/)