Dictionary
Aa
a.m:
any time in the morning, that is between midnight and midday (noon).
abacus:
a device for calculating; can use beads or counters.
acute:
describes an angle between 0° and 90°.
add, addition:
to join two or more numbers (or quantities) to get one number (called the sum or total).
adjacent:
next to
algebra:
an area of maths where numbers are represented by letters.
algin:
to arrange in a line, or to align edges or centres according to a position.
altitude:
hight above the earth.
amount:
quantity, number of, total, sum, size of extent.
analogue clock:
a clock with the numbers 1 to 12 around the face and rotating hands to show the hours,
minutes and seconds.
angle:
the number of degrees (°) rotated around a point.
arc:
part of the circumference of a circle.
area:
the amount of space within a perimeter (expressed in square units).
average:
a number representing a set of nubers (obtained by dividing the total of the numbers by the number of numbers in the set).
See 'mean'.
axis (of symmetery):
a line dividing a shape into two symmetrical parts.
Bb
balance:
having the same weight (mass) on either side.
bar graph:
a diagram representing information by the length of bars.
base:
the bottom of something.
bi-:
prefix meaning two, twice.
billion:
a thousand millions, or 100000000
bisect, bisector:
to divide into two equal sections.
brackets:
a pair of symbols used to enclose sections of a mathematical expression.
Cc
capacity:
the amount of space in the interior of an object (the amount of liquid/air it contains).
chord:
line segment connecting two points on the arc of a circle.
circumference:
the distance around around a circle (its perimeter).
clockwise:
moving in the same direction as the hands on a clock.
composite number:
a number with more than two factors.
congruent:
congruent shapes are the same shape and size (equal).
consecutive:
consecutive numbers follow in order without interruption (e.g. 11,12,13).
coordinates:
numbers used to locate a point on a grid.
cubic:
a cubic number is the answer when the square of a number is multiplied by the number itself.
cylinder:
a circular prism with two congruent, parallel and circular end faces.
Dd
denominator:
the number below the line in a fraction.
diagonal:
a straight line connecting two non-adjacent vertices (corners) of a polygon.
diameter:
a straight line connecting two points on the circumference of a circle and passing through the circle's centre.
difference:
by how much a number is bigger or smaller than another.
digit:
any whole number from 0 to 9 (inclusive).
digital clock:
a clock that shows the time by using numbers rather than hands.
dimensions:
the measurements of a shape (e.g. length, width, hight).
Ee
edge:
the intersection of two faces of a three dimensional object.
equation:
a statement of equality between two expressions (e.g. 3 x 4 = 6 + 6).
equilateral triangle:
a triangle with congruent (equal) sides and angles.
equivalent:
having the same value.
even number:
a positive (e.g. 8) or negative (e.g. -6) number exactly divisible by two.
endpoint:
point marking the end of a line segment.
estimate:
(to make) an approximate or rough calculation, often based on rounding.
expression:
one or a group of mathematical symbols representing a number or quantity.
Ff
face:
a plane surface of a three-dimensional object.
factor:
a number which will divide evenly into another.
fahrenheit:
a temperature measurement scale.
feet, foot:
imperial unit for measuring length.
finite:
able to be counted.
flat:
having little or no depth.
fortnight:
two weeks or fourteen days.
fraction:
any part of a group, number or whole.
function:
a mathematical realationship between two values.
Gg
gallon:
standard unit of capacity for measuring liquids.
geometry:
an area of mathematics dealing with solids, surfaces, points, lines, curves and angles.
(GMT) Greenwhich Mean Time:
standard time measured at Greenwhich, England.
golden number, golden ratio, golden section:
these terms all relate to Phi
gram:
a standard metric unit for measuring mass (weight)
graph:
drawing a diagram used to record information.
greater than:
more than.
Hh
half, halves:
one of two equal parts.
height:
the measurement from top to bottom.
hemisphere:
half of a sphere.
heptagon:
a polygon with seven sides and seven angles.
hexagon:
a polygon with six sides and six angles.
hexagonal:
having the shape of a hexagon.
hexahedron:
having the shape of a hexagon.
horizontal:
parallel to the horizon.
hour:
- unit of time
- equal to 60 minutes
- 24 hours make one day.
Ii
improper fraction:
- a fraction larger than one whole
- the numerator is larger than the denominator.
inch:
imperial unit for measuring length.
integer:
a negative or positive whole number (e.g -2, -1, 0, 1, 2...).
irregular:
a shape or mathematical object which is not regular.
isosceles triangle:
a triangle with two equal sides and two equal angles.
Ll
leap year:
occurs every fourth year and has 366 days.
length:
- distance from one end to another
- how long something is, its longest dimension.
line graph or chart:
uses lines to join points which represent the data.
line segmant:
- section of a line,
- bounded by two endpoints.
litre:
a metric unit for measuring capacity.
lowest common denominator (LCD):
- the lowest common multiple of the denominators
- the smallest mumber into which the denominators will divide exactly.
Mm
magic square:
numbers arranged in a square so they add up to the same total horizontally, vertically and diagonally.
mass:
the amount of matter in an object (its weight on Earth).
mean (arithmetic mean):
the average of a set of numbers.
median:
- a type of average
- the middle value of an ordered set of scores, values or numbers.
metre:
a metric unit for measuring length.
mile:
standard imperial unit for measuring length.
millennium:
period of time equal to one thousand years.
minus:
to subtract.
mixed number:
number written as a whole number with a fraction.
mode:
a type of average- in a set of sorces, calues, or numbers, the mode is the one that occurs the most.
mpg:
miles per gallon.
Nn
negative integer:
a number less than zero but not a deciamal or a fraction.
net:
flat shape which can be folded up into three dimensional solid.
nonagon:
a polygon with nine sides.
number line:
line marked with numbers, used to show operations.
numbers:
numbers describe decimals or values.
numerator:
number above the line of a fraction, showing number of partss of the whole.
Oo
oblique:
lines at an angle to the horizon.
oblong:
a quadrilateral with
- four right angles
- two pairs of equal parallel sides.
obtuse:
any angle between 90 and 180.
octagon:
a polygon with 8 sides.
odd number:
number that is not divisible by 2.
operations:
there are four basic operations in arithmetic used to solve problems.
order:
arrangement according to size, amount or value.
ounce:
standard imperial unit for measuring weight.
oval:
egg-shape plane shape.
Pp
parallel lines:
lines with no common points and always the same distance apart.
parallelogram:
a four-sided polygon with opposite sides equal and parallel and containing no right angles.
path:
a line connecting node (points) in a network.
pentagon:
a polygon with five sides and five angles.
pentomino:
a plane shape made of five congruent squares connected to each other by at least one common side.
percentage:
a quantity expressed in hundredths (%).
perimeter:
the length of the distance around the boundary of a shape.
perpendicular line:
a line at right angles to another line or plane.
pie graph:
a circular graph in which sectors of a circle are used to show information.
place value:
the value of a digit depending on its place in a number.
polygon:
a two-dimensional shape with three or more straight lines.
prime factor:
a prime number that wil divide exactly into another number (e.g. 2 and 3 are prime factors of 6).
prime number:
a number with only two factors, 1 and itself.
prism:
a three-dimensional shape with at least one pair of opposite faces which are congruent and parallel.
product:
the result when two or more numbers are multiplied (e.g. the product of 2, 3 and 4 is : 2 x 3 x 4 = 24).
protractor:
a semi-circular or circular instrument used to meaure angles.
Qq
quadrant:
a quarter of the area of a circle which also contains a right angle.
quadrilateral:
any four-sided polygon.
quantity:
amount or number of something.
quart:
standard imperial unit for measuring capacity.
quarter:
one of four equal parts.
Rr
radius:
the distance from the centre of a circle to any point of the circumference.
range:
the difference between the maxium and minuim values in a set of data.
rate:
a ratio that compares two quantities expressed in two different units.
ratio:
the comparision when two (or more) numbers are compared by division.
ray:
a straight line that extends from the point.
rectangle:
a four sided figure formed by two pairs of parallel lines that cross eachother at right angles.
reduce:
to make something smaller as opposed to enlarge.
reflection (flip):
a mirror image of a figure.
reflex angle:
an angle that is between 180° and 360°.
remainder:
the number that is left over when one number does not divide into another exactly.
result:
the outcome of one or more mathematical operations or the end outcome in a proof.
rhombus:
a four sided plane figure whose four sides are all equal.
Ss
sample:
a small amount of something selected at random part of the whole.
scale:
a seris of marks at regular interval along a line or curve that helps you to measure things.
scalene triangle:
a triangle having no sides in equal lenth.
secant:
a line that intersect a curve at two points.
second:
a unit of time. Equal to one sixth of a minute.
sector:
part of a circle enclosed by to radii and the circumference.
semi:
a prefix that means half.
sequence:
a set numbers or objects arranged according to a specific rule or pattern.
shape:
the form or outline of a two-dimensional figure or a three-dimensional object.
sign:
a symbol.
Tt
table:
a chart that orginizes data in rows or columns.
tally marks:
a way to use line segments to represent numbers.
tangent:
tangent of an angle in a right angle is defined as the ratio of the length of the side opposite the angle to that of the adjecent side.
tangram:
a puzzle made of a square cut into seven peices that can be put together to make different patterns.
temperature:
the degree of hot or cold.
tenth:
one of the ten partsobtained when dividing something into ten equal parts.
term:
A number in a sequence or the numerator or denominator of a fraction.
trapezium:
quadrilateral with one pair of parallel sides.
trapeziod:
quadrilateral with no parallel sides.
triangle:
a three sided shape.
Uu
unit:
another name for one.
unit of measurement:
standard amout or quantity.
unlikely:
will probably not happen.
Vv
value:
numerical amount.
vertex, vertices:
the point at which two or more line segments or two or more edges of a polyhedron meet.
vertical line:
a line which is at right angles to a horizontal line.
volume:
the amount of space taken up by an object.
Ww
week:
unit of time, equal to seven days.
weight:
the weight of an object changes according to gravity... a brick would be weightless in space, even though it still has the same mass on earth.
Xx
x-axis:
the horizontal axis of a graph.
x-coordinate:
the position of a point according to the x-axis.
Yy
yard:
standard imperial unit for measuring length (equal to 3 feet or 36 inches).
y-axis:
the vertical axis of a graph.
y-coordinate:
the position of a point according to the y-axis.
year:
the time it takes the earth to completely orbit the sun, equal to 12 months, 52 weeks or 365 days.
yield:
the amount of production or return (often seen in graphs).
Zz:
zero:
the numeral 0, used as a place holder (nothing, none, nil, nought).
