GROUNDWORK · THE KIT

Glossary

Forty terms, survey-kit plain.
variablea letter that stands for a number that can change
constanta number on its own whose value does not change
coefficientthe number multiplied by a variable
expressionnumbers, variables, and operations with no equals sign
equationa statement that two expressions are equal
integera positive or negative whole number, or zero
absolute valuethe distance of a number from zero
oppositethe number the same distance from zero on the other side
reciprocalthe fraction flipped so the product is one
numeratorthe top number of a fraction
denominatorthe bottom number of a fraction
greatest common factorthe largest number that divides two numbers evenly
least common multiplethe smallest number that two counts both reach
prime numbera whole number with exactly two factors, one and itself
composite numbera whole number with more than two factors
exponentthe small raised number counting repeated multiplication
basethe number being repeatedly multiplied under an exponent
powera base together with its exponent
square rootthe number that multiplied by itself gives the value
perfect squarea whole number that is some whole number times itself
order of operationsthe agreed sequence for evaluating an expression
distributive propertymultiplying a sum by multiplying each addend
commutative propertychanging the order without changing the result
associative propertychanging the grouping without changing the result
like termsterms whose variable parts are exactly the same
inequalitya statement comparing values with greater or less than
ratioa comparison of two quantities by division
ratea ratio comparing quantities with different units
unit ratea rate written for exactly one of the second unit
proportiona statement that two ratios are equal
percenta ratio out of one hundred
originthe point where the axes cross
x-axisthe horizontal number line on the plane
y-axisthe vertical number line on the plane
ordered pairtwo coordinates naming a point on the plane
quadrantone of the four regions the axes create
meanthe sum of the values divided by the count
medianthe middle value when the data are in order
modethe value that appears most often
perimeterthe distance around the boundary of a figure