Glossary

adjacent side

The side that forms one of the arms of the acute angle being considered in a right triangle, but is not the hypotenuse.

altitude (of a triangle)

The perpendicular distance from a vertex to the opposite side.

angle of depression

The angle formed by the horizontal and a line of sight below the horizontal.

angle of elevation

The angle formed by the horizontal and a line of sight above the horizontal.

apex

The highest point of a pyramid, perpendicular and opposite to the base.

base

(of a three-dimensional object) The bottom face of a three-dimensional object that is orientated in a traditional way.

binomial

A polynomial with two terms. For example, x² + 3, m²n + 4n, and 2x – 5y are binomials.

circumference

The boundary or perimeter of a circle. This is a linear measurement. It is often represented by the variable C.

coincident lines

Lines that occupy the same position. In a graph of two coincident lines, any point of either line lies on the other line.

common factor

A term that is a factor of two or more terms. For example, 2 is a common factor of 4, 12, and 18, and x is a common factor of x², xy, and xy².

common multiple

A number that is a multiple of two or more numbers. For example, common multiples of 3 and 5 are 15, 30, 45, 60, ....

cone

A three-dimensional object with a circular base and a curved lateral surface that extends from the base to the vertex.

continuous data

Data values on a graph that are connected.

coordinates

The values in an ordered pair. The x-coordinate is the distance from the vertical or y-axis. The y-coordinate is the distance from the horizontal or x-axis.

cosine ratio

For an acute angle in a right triangle, the ratio of the length of

the adjacent side to the length of the hypotenuse. cos A =

cube root

One of three equal factors of a number. For example,

cylinder

A three-dimensional object with two parallel and congruent circular bases.

degree (of a polynomial)

The degree of the highest-degree term in a polynomial. For example, the polynomial 7a² – 3a has a degree of two.

degree (of a term)

The sum of the exponents on the variable in a single term. For example, the degree 3x²z² is 5. A variable with no exponent has a degree of one, so 3a has a degree of one.

dependent variable

The variable whose values depend on those of the independent variable.

difference of squares

An expression of the form a² – b² that involves the subtraction of two squares. For example, x² – 4 and y² – 25 are differences of squares.

discrete data

Data values on a graph that are not connected.

distributive property

The rule that states a(b + c) = ab + ac. For example, 40(20 + 6) = (40)(20) + (40)(6).

domain

The set of all possible values for the independent variable in a relation.

elimination method

An algebraic method of solving a system of equations. Add or subtract the equations to eliminate one variable and solve for the other variable.

entire radical

The product of 1 and a radical. For example,

and

are entire radicals.

exponent

The number of times you multiply the base in a power by itself. For example, in 2³, the exponent is 3, so the base is multiplied by itself three times. 2 × 2 × 2 = 8.

face

A flat or curved surface of a three-dimensional object.

factor

Any number or variable that, when multiplied with one or more other numbers or variables, forms a product. For example, the factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12, and the factors of a²b are a, a, and b.

function

A relation in which each value of the independent variable is associated with exactly one value of the dependent variable. For every value in the domain there is a unique value in the range.

function notation

A notation used when a relation is a function. It is written f(x) and read as “f of x” or “f at x.”

general form

The equation of a line in the form Ax + By + C = 0, where A, B, and C are real numbers, and A and B are not both zero. By convention, A is a whole number. This means that A will always be positive.

greatest common factor (GCF)

The largest factor shared by two or more terms. For example, the GCF of 12 and 28 is 4, and the GCF of x²yz and x²y³ is x²y.

hypotenuse

The side opposite the right angle in a right triangle.

imperial system

A system of measurement based on British units

independent variable

The variable for which values are selected.

index

Indicates what root to take.

irrational number

A number that cannot be expressed in the form

, where a and b are integers, and b ≠ 0. It cannot

be expressed as a terminating or repeating decimal. For example, π = 3.1415... and

= 2.236...

are irrational numbers.

lateral area

The surface that joins two bases of a three-dimensional object or that joins the base to the highest point.

least common multiple (LCM)

The smallest multiple shared by two or more terms. For example, the LCM of 6 and 8 is 24.

like terms

Terms that have the same variable(s) raised to the same exponent(s). For example, 3x and –2x are like terms.

metric system

A system of measurement in which all units are based on powers of ten. The metre is the basic unit of length.

mixed radical

The product of a rational number and a radical. For example,

and

are mixed radicals.

monomial

A polynomial with one term. For example, 5, 2x, 3s², –8cd, and

are monomials.

multiple (of a number)

The product of a given number and an integral value. For example, the multiples of 5 are 5, 10, 15, 20, ....

non-linear relation

A relation that does not form a straight line when the data are plotted on a graph.

opposite side

The sides across from the acute angle being considered in a right triangle. It is the side that does not form one of the arms of the angle being considered.

parallel lines

Lines in the same plane that do not intersect. They have the same slope but different intercepts.

parameter

A variable that has a constant value in a particular equation.

perfect cube

A number that can be expressed as the product of three equal factors. For example, 64 = (4)(4)(4) or 4³.

perfect square

A number that can be expressed as the product of two equal factors. For example, 16 = (4)(4) or 4².

perfect square trinomial

The result of squaring a binomial. For example, (x + 5)² = x² + 10x + 25 is a perfect square trinomial.

perpendicular lines

Two lines that intersect at right angles (90°). These two lines have slopes that are negative reciprocals of each other.

point of intersection

A point at which two lines touch or cross.

polynomial

An algebraic expression formed by adding or subtracting terms. For example, x + 5, 2d – 2.4, and 3s² + 5s – 6 are polynomials.

power

An expression made up of a base and an exponent. For example, in the power 6³, 6 is the base and 3 is the exponent.

primary trigonometric ratios

The three ratios—sine, cosine, and tangent—defined in a right triangle.

prime factor

A factor that is a prime number; that is, a number divisible only by 1 and itself. For example, the prime factors of 10 are 2 and 5.

prime factorization

The process of writing a number as a product of its prime factors. For example, the prime factorization of 24 is 2 × 2 × 2 × 3.

prism

A three-dimensional object with two parallel and congruent polygon bases and rectangular sides.

pyramid

A three-dimensional object with one base and the same number of triangular faces as there are sides on the base.

radical

Consists of a root symbol, an index, and a radicand.

It can be rational (for example,

) or irrational (for example,

).

radicand

The quantity under the radical sign.

range

The set of all possible values for the dependent variable as the independent variable takes on all possible values of the domain.

rational exponent

An exponent that can be expressed as the quotient of two integers, where the divisor is not zero.

For example, in

is a rational exponent.

rational number

A number that can be expressed as the quotient of two integers, where the divisor is not zero.

For example, 0.5,

, and –2 are rational numbers.

referent

An item that an individual uses as a measurement for estimating. For example, the height of the doorknob above the floor is about 1 m, or the thickness of a dime is about 1 mm.

relation

An association between two quantities. It can be presented in words, as an equation, as a table of values, as ordered pairs, or as a graph.

set notation

A formal mathematical way to give the values of domain and range. For example, the domain is {x | x ≤ 10, x ∈ R} and the range is {y | y > 20, y ∈ R}.

SI (Système International d’Unités)

A system of measurement in which all units are based on powers of ten. The metre is the basic unit of length.

sine ratio

For an acute angle in a right triangle, the ratio of the length of the opposite side to the length of the hypotenuse.

In the diagram, sin A =

slant height

The shortest lateral distance from the edge of the base of a cone or pyramid to its highest point.

slope

The ratio of the vertical change, or rise, to the horizontal change, or run, of a line or line segment. Slope is not expressed with units.

slope-intercept form

The equation of a line in the form y = mx + b, where m is the slope of the line and b is the y-intercept.

slope-point form

The equation of a non-vertical line in the form y – y1 = m(x – x1), where m is the slope and (x1, y1) are the coordinates of a point on the line.

solution (to a system of linear equations)

A point of intersection of the lines on a graph. It is an ordered pair that satisfies both equations, or a pair of values occurring in the tables of values of both equations.

solution (to a system of linear equations)

A point of intersection of the lines on a graph. It is an ordered pair that satisfies both equations, or a pair of values occurring in the tables of values of both equations.

sphere

A round, ball-shaped object. It is a set of points in space that are a given distance (radius) from a fixed point (centre).

square root

One of two equal factors of a number. For example,

substitution method

An algebraic method of solving a system of equations. Solve one equation for one variable. Then, substitute that value into the other equation and solve for the other variable.

surface area

The number of square units needed to cover a three-dimensional object. It is the sum of the areas of all the faces of an object.

system of linear equations

Two or more linear equations involving common variables

tangent (of a circle)

A line that touches a circle at exactly one point. The line is perpendicular to the radius at that point. The point where the line touches the circle is called the point of tangency.

tangent ratio

For an acute angle in a right triangle, the ratio of the length of the opposite side to the length of the adjacent side.

In the diagram, tan A =

term

A number or a variable, or the product of numbers and variables. For example, the expression 5x and 3 has two terms: 5x and 3.

trinomial

A polynomial with three terms. For example, x² + 3x – 1 and 2x² – 5xy + 10y² are trinomials.

vertical line test

A test to see if a graph represents a function. If any vertical line crosses the graph at more than one point, the relation is not a function. The graph on the left is a relation. The graph on the right is not.

volume

The amount of space a three-dimensional object occupies. It is measured in cubic units.

x-intercept

The x-coordinate of the point where a line or curve crosses the x-axis. It is the value of x when y = 0.

y-intercept

The y-coordinate of the point where a line or curve crosses the y-axis. It is the value of y when x = 0.

$Mathematics 10$

Log In
You must be a registered user to view the premium content in this website. If you already have a username and password, enter it below. If your textbook came with a card and this is your first visit to this site, you can use your registration code to register.
Username:
Password:
	Forgot your password?

Site Preferences	(Log out)

		Send mail as:

TA email:
Other email:

"Floating" navigation?
Drawer speed:

Notes		(What is this?)

Add a note
1.	(optional) Enter a note here:
2.	(optional) Select some text on the page (or do this before you open the "Notes" drawer).
3.	Highlighter Color:
4.

Search
Search for:
Search in:

Home > Glossary

	Course-wide Content
		Glossary Student Web Links Succeed in Math Web Games