robot

Everyday

1. A robot is a machine that can do jobs by itself, following a program; some move and act like a person or an animal. tree →
2. A robot can also mean a person who acts without feeling or thinking, like a machine. tree →
3. In South Africa, a robot is a traffic light. tree →

In the lessons

In maths: things counted or built; robots that make items at a rate; total = rate × hours × robots. In science and technology: coding robots, sensors, robots in factories, on Mars and in hospitals. In everyday life: robot vacuum cleaners, robot toys. In stories: friendly and scary robots in films and books.

Examples

• A robot makes 12 toys an hour. tree →
• The club built 4 robots. tree →
• Each robot needs 6 batteries. tree →
• How many toys do 3 robots make in 5 hours? tree →
• We programmed a small robot to move in a square. tree →
• A robot rover explores the surface of Mars. tree →
• Robots build cars in big factories. tree →
• Our robot vacuum cleans the floor by itself. tree →
• In the film, the robot learns to make friends. tree →

Note

Often a worker with a rate per hour: total = rate × hours × robots. Trap: none. A robot only does what it is programmed to do; it does not think or feel like a person. The word comes from a Czech play and an old word for hard work.