A

Absolute Value - always

a positive number refers
to the distance of a
number from 0, the
distances are positive.
Acute Angle - an angle
that has measure less
than 90.
Adjacent Angles - two
angles in a plane which
shares a common vertex
and a common side but do
not overlap. Angles 1 and
2 below are adjacent
angles.
Algebra - a problem in
which one or more
number is unknown.
Algebraic Equation - an
equation of the form f (x)
= 0 where f is a
polynomial.
Altitude - altitude is a
distance measurement,

usually in the vertical or

"up" direction.
Angle - an angle is the
figure formed by two rays,
called the sides of the
angle, sharing a common
endpoint, called the
vertex of the angle.
Arc - A connected section
of the circumference of a
circle.
Axis - a fixed reference
line for the measurement
of coordinates.
Axes - Plural of axis.

B
Base - in plane geometry
or solid geometry, the
bottom of a figure. If the
top is parallel to the
bottom (as in a trapezoid
or prism), both the top
and bottom are called
bases.

Beta () - the second

letter of the Greek
alphabet.
Binomial - a polynomial
with two terms which are
not like terms. The
following are all binomials:
2x 3, 3x5 +8x4, and 2ab
6a2b5.
Bisector - a line segment,
line, or plane that divides
a geometric figure into
two congruent halves.
Bracket - The symbols
[ and ].

C
Cartesian plane - the
plane formed by a
horizontal axis and a
vertical axis, often labeled
the x-axis and y-axis,
respectively.
Center - the point inside a
circle from which all points
on the circle are equally
distant.

Chord - a line segment on

the interior of a circle. A
chord has both endpoints
on the circle.
Circle - a round plane
figure whose boundary
(the circumference)
consists of points
equidistant from a fixed
point (the center).
Circumference - a
complete circular arc.
Circumference also means
the distance around the
the outside of a circle.
Clockwise - the direction
that the hands of a clock
move.
Coefficient - the number
multiplied times a product
of variables or powers of
variables in a term.
Coordinates - on the
coordinate plane, the pair
of numbers giving the
location of a point
(ordered pair).

Congruent - Exactly
equal in size and shape.
Congruent sides or
segments have the exact
same length. Congruent
angles have the exact
same measure. For any
set of congruent
geometric figures,
corresponding sides,
angles, faces, etc. are
congruent.
Cosecant - the
trigonometric function
cosecant, written csc .
Cosine - the trigonometric
function cosine, which is
written cos .
Cotangent - the
trigonometric function
cotangent, written cot .
Coterminal Angles angles which, drawn in
standard position, share a
terminal side. For
example, 60, -300, and
780 are all coterminal.

Counter-Clockwise moving in the opposite

direction of the arms on a
clock.

D
Decagon - a polygon with
ten sides.
Degree - a unit of angle
measure equal to of a
complete revolution.
There are 360 degrees in
a circle. Degrees are
indicated by the symbol,
so 35 means 35 degrees.
Delta - the fourth letter of
the Greek alphabet
( , ), transliterated as
d.
Diameter - a line
segment between two
points on the circle or
sphere which passes
through the center. The
word diameter is also
refers to the length of this
line segment.

Difference - the result of

subtracting two numbers
or expressions. For
example, the difference
between 7 and 12 is 12
7, which equals 5.
Divisor - in the
expression a divided by
b, a is the dividend and b
is the divisor.
Domain - the set of
values of the independent
variable(s) for which a
function or relation is
defined. Typically, this is
the set of x-values that
give rise to real y-values.

E
Endpoints - the points at
which a line segment
ends.
Equation - a
mathematical sentence
built from expressions
using one or more equal
signs (=).

Equidistant - equally
distant. For example, any
two points on a circle are
equidistant from the
center.
Evaluate - to figure out or
compute. For example,
"evaluate " means to
figure out that the
expression simplifies to
17.
Even Number - an
integer that is a multiple
of 2. The even numbers
are { . . . , 4, 2, 0, 2, 4,
6, . . . }.
Exponent - x in the
expression ax. For
example, 3 is the
exponent in 23.
Expression - any
mathematical calculation
or formula combining
numbers and/or variables
using sums, differences,
products, quotients
(including fractions),
exponents, roots,

logarithms, trig functions,

parentheses, brackets,
functions, or other
mathematical operations.
Expressions may not
contain the equal sign (=)
or any type of inequality.

F
Factor - an exact divisor
of a number. This 4 is a
factor of 12; any of the
numbers or symbols in
mathematics that when
multiplied together form a
product.
Fixed - constant. Not
changing or moving.
Formula - an expression
used to calculate a
desired result, such as a
formula to find volume or
a formula to count
combinations. Formulas
can also be equations
involving numbers and/or
variables, such as Euler's
formula.

Fraction - a ratio of
numbers or variables.
Fractions may not have
denominator 0.
Function - a relation for
which each element of the
domain corresponds to
exactly one element of the
range. For example, is a
function because each
number x in the domain
has only one possible
square root. On the other
hand, is not a function
because there are two
possible values for any
positive value of x.

G
Geometric Figure - any
point, line, segment, ray,
angle, polygon, curve,
region, plane, surface,
solid, etc. Formally, a
geometric figure is any set
of points on a plane or in
space.

Geometric Mean - a kind

of average. To find the
geometric mean of a set
of n numbers, multiply the
numbers and then take
the nth root of the
product.
Geometry - the study of
geometric figures in two
dimensions (plane
geometry) and three
dimensions (solid
geometry). It includes the
study of points, lines,
triangles, quadrilaterals,
other polygons, circles,
spheres, prisms,
pyramids, cones,
cylinders, and polyhedra.
Geometry typically
includes the study of
axioms, theorems, and
two-column proofs.
Graph - a visual
representation of data
that displays the
relationship among
variables, usually cast
along x and y axes.

Greater Than - having a

larger value than.
Greatest Common
Divisor - the greatest
common divisor of a
sequence of integers, is
the largest integer that
divides each of them
exactly.

H
Heptagon - a polygon
with seven sides. Some
authors also use the name
septagon instead of
heptagon.
Hexagon - a polygon with
six sides.
Horizontal - perfectly flat
and level. For example,
the horizon is horizontal.
So is the floor.
Horizontal Line Test - a
function is one-to-one if
and only if every
horizontal line intersects
its graph at most once.

Hypotenuse - the side of

a right triangle opposite
the right angle. Note: The
hypotenuse is the longest
side of a right triangle.

I
Imaginary Number - a
complex number of the
form xi where x is real and
I = sqrt (-1).
Improper Fraction - a
fraction which has a larger
numerator than
denominator. For example,
is an improper fraction.
Integers - all positive and
negative whole numbers
(including zero). That is,
the set {... , 3, 2, 1, 0,
1, 2, 3, ...}.
Intersect - two figures
are said to intersect if
they meet or cross each
other.
Intersection - the point
where two lines cross.

Interior Angle - an angle

on the interior of a plane
figure.
Interval - the set of all
real numbers between two
given numbers. The two
numbers on the ends are
the endpoints. The
endpoints might or might
not be included in the
interval depending
whether the interval is
open, closed, or half-open
(same as half-closed).
Irrational Number - a
number which cannot be
expressed as a quotient of
two integers.

K
Kite - a quadrilateral with
two pairs of adjacent sides
that are congruent. Note
that the diagonals of a
kite are perpendicular.

L
Leading Coefficient - the
coefficient of a
polynomial's leading term.
For example, 5 is the
leading coefficient of 5x4
6x3 + 4x 12.
Leading Term - the term
in a polynomial which
contains the highest
power of the variable. For
example, 5x4 is the
leading term of 5x4 6x3
+ 4x 12.
Least Common
Denominator - the
smallest whole number
that can be used as a
denominator for two or
more fractions. The least
common denominator is
the least common multiple
of the original
denominators.
Leg of a Triangle - either
of the two shorter sides of
a right triangle. These two

sides together form the

right angle in the right
triangle.
Like Terms - terms which
have the same variables
and corresponding powers
and/or roots. Like terms
can be combined using
addition and subtraction.
Terms that are not like
cannot be combined using
addition or subtraction.
Length - the straight line
distance between two
points.
Less Than - having the
smaller value than.
Line - the geometric
figure formed by two
points. A line is the
straight path connecting
two points and extending
beyond the points in both
directions.
Linear - an equation or
graph is linear if the graph
of an equation is a straight
line.

Linear Equation - An
equation that can be
written in the form "linear
polynomial = linear
polynomial" or "linear
polynomial = constant".
The following are
examples of linear
equations: 2x 3 = 5, 4a
+ 9 = 8 9a, and 2x + 5y
= 1.
Logarithm - the exponent
of the power to which a
base number must be
raised to equal a given
number.

M
Mean - another word for
average. Mean almost
always refers to arithmetic
mean. In certain contexts,
however, it could refer to
the geometric mean,
harmonic mean, or root
mean square.
Measurement - he
process of assigning a

number to a physical
property. Examples of
measurement include
length, size of an angle,
area, volume, mass, time,
etc.
Median - the midpoint of
a set of data.
Midpoint - the point
halfway between two
given points.
Mixed Number - a
number written as the
sum of an integer and a
proper fraction.
Monomial - a polynomial
with one term. The
following are all
monomials: 5x3, 8, and
4xy.
Multiple - a number that
is the product of a given
number and some other
number.
Multiplication - the basic
arithmetical operation of
repeated addition.

N
Negative Number - a
real number less than
zero. Zero itself is neither
negative nor positive.
Nonagon - a polygon with
nine sides.
Number - represents the
value or quantity of
something.
Numerator - the number
above the fraction bar
that indicates the number
of parts of the whole that
are in a rational number,
the number in the top half
of the fraction.

O
Obtuse Angle - an angle
that has measure more
than 90 and less than
180.
Obtuse Triangle - a
triangle which has an

obtuse angle as one of its

interior angles.
Octagon - a polygon with
eight sides.
Odd Number - an integer
that is not a multiple of 2.
The odd numbers are
{ . . . , 3, 1, 1, 3,
5, . . . }.
Opposite Reciprocal the result of taking the
reciprocal of a number
and then changing the
sign.
Ordered Pair - on the
coordinate plane, the pair
of numbers giving the
location of a point
(ordered pair).
Ordinate - the ycoordinate of a point in
the plane.
Origin - the point at
which the horizontal and
vertical axes intersect, at
zero (0, 0).

P
Parallel Lines - two
distinct coplanar lines that
do not intersect.
Parallelogram - a
quadrilateral with two
pairs of parallel sides.
Parentheses - the
symbols ( and ). Singular:
parenthesis.
Pentagon - a polygon
with five sides.
Perfect Square - any
number that is the square
of a rational number. For
example, 0, 1, 4, 9, 16,
25, etc. are all perfect
squares.
Perimeter - the distance
around the outside of a
plane figure. For a
polygon, the perimeter is
the sum of the lengths of
the sides.

Pi - the ratio of the

circumference of a circle
to its diameter. Pi is
written and is a
transcendental number.
Plane - a flat surface
extending in all directions.
Any three non collinear
points lie on one and only
one plane. So do any two
distinct intersecting lines.
A plane is a twodimensional figure.
Point - the geometric
figure formed at the
intersection of two distinct
lines.
Polygon - a closed plane
figure for which all sides
are line segments. The
name of a polygon
describes the number of
sides. A polygon which
has all sides mutually
congruent and all angles
mutually congruent is
called a regular polygon.

Polynomial - an algebraic
expression where the
exponents of the variables
are all nonnegative
integers.
Positive Number - a real
number greater than zero.
Zero itself is not positive.
Power - either the
number itself, or the
product arising from using
the number a certain
number of times as a
factor.
Product - the result of
multiplying a set of
numbers or expressions.
Proper Fraction - a
fraction with a smaller
numerator than
denominator.
Pythagorean Theorem the sum of the squares of
the lengths of the legs of a
right triangle is equal to
the square of the length of
the hypotenuse.

Q
Quadrantal Angle - an
angle with terminal side
on the x-axis or y-axis.
That is, the angles 0, 90,
180, 270, 360, 450, ...
as well as 90, 180,
270, 360, ...
Quadrants - the four
sections into which the x-y
plane is divided by the xand y-axes.
Quadratic Equation - an
equation includes only
second degree
polynomials. Some
examples are y = 3x2
5x2 + 1, x2 + 5xy + y2 =
1, and 1.6a2 +5.9a 3.14
= 0.
Quadratic Function - a
function of the form f(x) =
ax2 + bx + c where a is
not equal to zero (in which

case the function turns

into a linear function).

circular arc described by

that angle.

Quadrilateral - a polygon
with four sides.

Radical - The symbol,

which is used to indicate
square roots or nth roots.

Quadratic - an equation,
graph, or data that can be
modeled by a degree 2
polynomial.
Quartic Polynomial - a
polynomial of degree 4.
Quintic Polynomial - a
polynomial of degree 5.
Quotient - the result of
dividing two numbers or
expressions. For example,
the 40 divided by 5 has a
quotient of 8.

R
Radian - A unit for
measuring angles. 180 =
radians, and 360 = 2
radians. The number of
radians in an angle equals
the number of radii it
takes to measure a

Range - The set of yvalues of a function or

relation. More generally,
the range is the set of
values assumed by a
function or relation over
all permitted values of the
independent variable(s).
Ray - A part of a line
starting at a particular
point and extending
infinitely in one direction.
Real Numbers - All
numbers on the number
line. This includes (but is
not limited to) positives
and negatives, integers
and rational numbers,
square roots, cube roots ,
(pi), etc.
Reciprocal - The
reciprocal of x is 1/x. In
other words, a reciprocal

is a fraction flipped upside

down. Multiplicative
inverse means the same
thing as reciprocal.
Rectangle - A box shape
on a plane. Formally, a
rectangle is a quadrilateral
with four congruent angles
(all 90).
Reference Angle - For
any given angle, its
reference angle is an
acute version of that
angle. In standard
position, the reference
angle is the smallest angle
between the terminal side
and the x-axis. The values
of the trig functions of
angle are the same as
the trig values of the
reference angle for , give
or take a minus sign.
Remainder - The part left
over after long division.
Right Angle - A 90
angle.

Right Triangle - A
triangle which has a right
(90) interior angle.

S
Secant - The trig function
secant, written sec .
Segment - all points
between two given points
(including the given points
themselves).
Semicircle - half a circle.
That is, a 180 arc.
Set - a group of numbers,
variables, geometric
figures, or just about
anything. Sets are written
using set braces {}. For
example, {1,2,3} is the
set containing the
elements 1, 2, and 3.
Similar - identical in
shape, although not
necessarily the same size.
Sine - the trig function
sine, written sin . For
acute angles, sin can be

found by the SOHCAHTOA

definition as shown below
on the left. The circle
definition, a generalization
of SOHCAHTOA, is shown
below on the right. Finally,
f(x) = sin x is a periodic
function with period 2.
Solution Set - any and all
value(s) of the variable(s)
that satisfies an equation,
inequality, system of
equations, or system of
inequalities.
Solve - find all solutions
to an equation, inequality,
or a system of equations
and/or inequalities.
Square - a rectangle with
all four sides of equal
length. Formally, a square
is a quadrilateral with four
congruent sides and four
congruent angles (all 90).
Square Root - a
nonnegative number that
must be multiplied times

itself to equal a given

number.
Subtraction - is a
mathematical operation
that represents the
operation of removing
objects from a collection.
Sum - the result of adding
a set of numbers or
algebraic expressions.
Symmetric - describes a
geometric figure or a
graph consisting of two
parts that are congruent
to each other.
Synthetic Division - a
shortcut for polynomial
long division that can be
used when dividing by an
expression of the form x
c or x + c. Note: This
allows an improper
rational expression to be
written as a sum of a
polynomial and a proper
rational expression.

Tangent - the trig

function tangent, written
tan .
Term - parts of an
expression or series
separated by + or signs,
or the parts of a sequence
separated by commas.
Theorem - an assertion
that can be proved true
using the rules of logic. A
theorem is proven from
axioms, postulates, or
other theorems already
known to be true.
Theta - the eighth letter
of the Greek alphabet ( ,
), transliterated as th.
Triangle - a polygon with
three sides.
Trigonometry - the study
of triangles, with
emphasis on calculations
involving the lengths of
sides and the measures of
angles. Trigonometry is
also known as trig.
Trigonometry is based on

the six functions sine,

cosine, tangent, cosecant,
secant, and cotangent.
Trig also includes studies
of the properties of these
functions and their
graphs.
Trigonometric
Functions - the six
functions sine, cosine,
tangent, cosecant, secant,
and cotangent. These
functions can be defined
several different ways.
These include
SOHCAHTOA definitions,
circle definitions (below),
and unit circle definitions.
Trinomial - a polynomial
with three terms which are
not like terms. The
following are all
trinomials: x2 + 2x - 3,
3x5 - 8x4 + x3, and a2b +
13x + c.
Triple Root - a root of a
polynomial equation with
multiplicity 3. Also refers
to a zero of a polynomial

function with multiplicity

3.

representing such a
quantity.

Undefined Slope - the

"slope" of a vertical line. A
vertical line has undefined
slope because all points
on the line have the same
x-coordinate.

Vertex - a corner point of

a geometric figure. For a
polygon, vertices are
where adjacent sides
meet. For an angle, the
vertex is where the two
rays making up the angle
meet.

Uniform - all the same or

all in the same manner;
constant.

Vertical - straight up and

down. For example, a wall
is vertical.

Unit - a single thing used

as a standard or measure.

Vertical Line Test - a test

use to determine if a
relation is a function. A
relation is a function if
there are no vertical lines
that intersect the graph at
more than one point.

Unit Circle - the circle

with radius 1 which is
centered at the origin on
the x-y plane.

V
Variable - a quantity that
can change or that may
take on different values.
Variable also refers to a
letter or symbol

W
Whole Numbers - the
numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
etc.

x-intercept - a point at
which a graph intersects
the x-axis. The xintercepts of a function
must be real numbers,
unlike roots and zeros.

Y
y-intercept - point at
which a graph intersects
the y-axis.

Z
Zero - the number which
indicates no quantity, size,
or magnitude. Zero is
neither negative nor
positive.