Abscissa The abscissa is the x-coordinate of an ordered pair.
Absolute Value a = a if a 0 and -a if a < 0
Acute Angle An Acute Angle is any angle less than 90 degrees.
Addition The sum of two numbers a and b, where a and b are the addends.
Addition Principle This says that you can add the same quantity to both sides of an existing equation.
of Equality
Additive Inverse The additive inverse of a number, b, is the opposite, -b.
Algebra Algebra is a continuation and extension of the rules of arithmetic into a more general level.
Angle An angle is formed when two lines intersect at a point forming the sides of the angle. The point of intersection is the vertex.
Area Area is the amount of surface of a figure.
Associative Property of Addition a + (b+c) = (a+b) + c
Associative Property of Multiplication a x (b x c) = (a x b) x c
Binomial A binomial is polynomial with two terms.
Celsius (or Centigrade) This is a temperature measurement scale used in the metric system.
Circle This is the collection of all points that are a fixed distance from a given point.
Circumference This is the distance around a circle.
Coefficient This is a number that is multiplied times a variable.
Coinciding Lines These are two lines that are right on top of each other. Actually the same line.
Commutative Property of Addition a + b = b + a
Commutative Property of Multiplication a x b = b x a
Complex Fraction This is any fraction with either the numerator, the denominator, or both containing a fraction.
Composite Number A composite number is a number that can be broken down into two or more factors.
Conjugates The expressions + and - are said to be conjugates of each other. Similarly a + bi and a - bi are conjugates.
Constant A constant is a fixed number.
Contradiction A contradiction is an equation that implies that a false sentence is true.
Degree A degree is a unit of measurement for an angle.
Degree of Polynomial For polynomials with one variable, this is the highest exponent on the variable.
Denominator For the fraction, a/b, b is the denominator.
Diameter A diameter of a circle is a line connecting two points on the circle and passes through the center of the circle.
Distributive Property a (b + c) = ab + ac
Division Division can be thought of as repeated subtraction. In the expression a b = c, a is the dividend, b is the divisor, and c is the quotient. The number a is divisible by b if the remainder is zero.
English System of Measurement This is the system of measurement used in the United States.
Equation This is a mathematical sentence stating that two expressions are equal.
Equilateral Triangle This is a triangle with three equal sides.
Equivalent Equations These are equations that have the same solutions.
Equivalent Fractions These are fractions that have the same numerical value.
Exponent In the expression, bn , n is the exponent and b is the base.
Factored Completely An expression is factored completely when none of its factors can be broken down any further.
Factoring Factoring is breaking down a number or expression into products of smaller parts.
Fahrenheit Scale This is a temperature measurement scale used in the English system.
Formula A formula is a sentence expressed symbolically showing the mathematical relationships among variables.
Fraction A fraction is any number that can be written in the form a/b with b zero.
Gram The gram is the standard unit of weight in the metric system.
Graph A graph is a picture of the set of solutions of a given equation.
Greatest Common Factor The GCF of a set of numbers is the largest number that will divide evenly into each number in the original set of numbers. The GCF of a polynomial is the largest polynomial that will divide evenly into the polynomial.
Hexagon A hexagon is any six-sided figure.
Hypotenuse The hypotenuse of a right triangle is the longest side.
Identity An identity is an equation that is true for every value of the variable.
Identity Element of Addition The additive identity is the number zero.
Identity Under Multiplication The multiplicative identity is the number one.
Improper Fraction An improper fraction is a fraction with the top number greater than or equal to the bottom number.
Integers {...-3,-2,-1,0,1,2,3...}
Inverse The multiplicative inverse of a number, b, is 1/b.
Isosceles Triangle An isosceles triangle is any triangle with two equal sides.
Least Common Multiple The LCM of a set of numbers is the smallest number that each of the numbers in the original set will divide into evenly.
Legs The legs of a right triangle are the two shorter sides.
Like Terms Like terms are terms that have the same letters raised to the same powers.
Linear Equation Linear equation in one variable can be written in the form ax = b, a 0. A linear equation in two variables can be written in the form ax + by = c.
Liter The liter is the standard unit of volume in the metric system.
Lowest Common Denominator The LCD of a set of denominators is the smallest number that each of the denominators will divide into evenly.
Meter The meter is the standard unit of length in the metric system.
Metric System The metric system is a system of measurement for length, weight, volume, temperature, and others that is used throughout most of the world.
Mixed Numbers A mixed number is the sum of a whole number and a fraction.
Monomial A monomial is a one-termed expression.
Multiple A multiple of the number, b, is a whole number times b.
Multiplication In the expression, a x b = c, a is the multiplier, b is the multiplicand, and c is the product.
Multiplication Principle of Equality This states that you can multiply both sides of an existing equation by the same non-zero number.
Negative Numbers The negative numbers are the numbers less than zero.
Numerator The numerator is the top number in a given fraction.
Obtuse Angle An obtuse angle is any angle that is greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees.
Octagon An octagon is an eight-sided figure.
Opposite The additive opposite of b is -b. The additive opposite of -b is b.
Ordered Pair An ordered pair, (x,y), is a point in the rectangular coordinate system.
Ordinate An ordinate is the second coordinate in an ordered pair.
Parabola A parabola is the curve you get when you graph a quadratic equation.
Parallel Lines Two lines in the same plane are parallel if they never intersect.
Parallelogram A parallelogram is a four-sided figure with opposite sides parallel.
Pentagon A pentagon is any five-sided figure.
Perimeter The perimeter of a figure is the total distance around the figure.
Perpendicular Lines Two lines are perpendicular if they meet at a right angle.
Pi Pi is the number of times the diameter divides into the circumference of a circle. It is approximately 3.14159 times. ( 3.14)
Place Value The place value of a digit in a decimal number is the name of the place or location of that digit in the decimal number.
Polygon A polygon is a closed figure with more than two sides.
Polynomial A polynomial is an expression of the formax + ... + bx + c.
Positive numbers The positive numbers are those numbers greater than zero.
Prime Factorization The prime factorization of a number is the expression of that number as a product of its prime factors.
Prime Numbers {1,2,3,5,7,11,13,17,19,23,...} Numbers only divisible by themselves and one.
Product of the Extremes Equals the Product of the Means In the equation a/b = c/d, this statement says that ad = bc.
Proper Fraction A proper fraction is one with the top number smaller than the bottom number.
Proportion A proportion is an equation with one fraction set equal to another fraction.
Quadratic Equation ax + bx +c = 0, a 0.
Quadrilateral A quadrilateral is any four-sided figure.
Radical A radical is an expression of the form . Square Root
Radius The radius of a circle is the distance from the center to any point on the circle.
Rate A rate is a ratio of two numbers with different units like 40 miles/ 2 hours.
Ratio A ratio is a fraction, a/b.
Rational Expression A rational expression is the quotient of two polynomials.
Reciprocal The reciprocal of a fraction, a/b, is the fraction, b/a.
Rectangle A rectangle is a parallelogram with four right angles.
Repeating Decimal A repeating decimal expansion of a fraction is one in which a repeating pattern of digits occurs.
Right Angle A right angle is a 90 degree angle.
Right Triangle A right triangle is a triangle with one right angle.
Root A root of an equation in one variable is a solution of the equation.
Slope The slope of a line is the ratio of rise to run.
Solution A solution of an equation in one variable is a number that makes a true sentence of the equation. It is also a root of the equation.
Square A square is a rectangle with four equal sides.
Solution of a System of Equations A solution of a system of equations in two variables is an ordered pair that makes both equations true.
Subtraction In the subtraction expression, a - b = c, a is the minuend, b is the subtrahend, and c is the difference.
Temperature The temperature of an object is a measure of how hot or cold the object is.
Terminating Decimal A terminating decimal expansion of a fraction is one in which the decimal expansion has all zeros from some point on.
Trapezoid A trapezoid is any four-sided figure that has two sides that are parallel.
Triangle A triangle is any three-sided figure.
Trinomial A trinomial is any polynomial with three terms.
Undefined Division Division by zero is undefined.
Unit Rate A unit rate is a ratio of two numbers with different units in the denominator of the fraction is like 40 miles/ 1 hour.
Variable A variable is a letter that is used as a temporary replacement for numbers.
Vertex The vertex of a polygon is a corner. The vertex of a parabola is the highest or lowest point.
Volume Volume is the measurement of the space enclosed by a solid.
Whole Numbers {0,1,2,3,4,...} Integers greater than -1
X-Intercept A x-Intercept of an equation is a point where the graph touches the x-Axis.
Y-Intercept A y-Intercept of an equation is a point where the graph touches the y-Axis.