What Does “evaluate” Mean in Math?

By Staff WriterLast Updated April 09, 2020

In mathematics, the word “evaluate” is a verb that refers to finding or calculating the value of something. This can pertain to financial mathematics or to finding the exact value of an algebraic expression or numerical calculation.

“Evaluate” is fairly synonymous with “solve” when used in mathematics. An example of wording is, “Evaluate the cost of six tomatoes when the tomatoes are priced at $2 each.” This is a simple multiplication problem where the student would multiply 6 by 2 for an answer of $12. The word evaluate may also appear before a series of questions, such as a list of simple algebraic equations.