THE COMPOUND · THE KIT

Glossary

Forty terms, survey-kit plain.
functiona rule pairing each input with exactly one output
domainthe set of allowed inputs
rangethe set of possible outputs
parabolathe curve a quadratic draws
vertexthe turning point of a parabola
discriminantb2 − 4ac, the root counter
complex numbera number with a real part and an imaginary part
imaginary uniti, whose square is negative one
conjugatethe same two terms with the middle sign flipped
radicalthe root sign and its contents
rational exponenta fraction exponent naming a root and a power
logarithmthe exponent that answers a growth question
exponentialgrowth or decay by repeated multiplication
asymptotea line a curve approaches forever
inversethe function that undoes another
compositionone function fed into another
matrixa rectangular grid of numbers
determinantthe single number a square matrix reduces to
sequencean ordered list of numbers
seriesa sequence being added up
arithmetic sequencea sequence with a constant difference
geometric sequencea sequence with a constant ratio
conica curve cut from a cone
ellipsethe stretched circle of the conic family