Browse terms by category
Use the list above to filter to a specific domain.
math Glossary
Explore clear, concise definitions for math terms. Each entry is written for fast comprehension and quick reference.
Featured math Terms
Start with the most referenced concepts
Algorithm
A process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer.
Area
The quantity that expresses the extent of a two-dimensional region, shape, or planar lamina, in the plane.
Binary System
A base-2 numeral system used by computers.
Calculus
The mathematical study of continuous change.
Coefficient
A numerical or constant quantity placed before and multiplying the variable in an algebraic expression.
Combination
A selection of items from a set that has distinct members, such that the order of selection does not matter.
Calculus
The mathematical study of continuous change.
Coefficient
A numerical or constant quantity placed before and multiplying the variable in an algebraic expression.
Combination
A selection of items from a set that has distinct members, such that the order of selection does not matter.
Composite Number
A positive integer that can be formed by multiplying two smaller positive integers. Equivalently, it is a positive integer that has at least one divisor other than 1 and itself.
Constant
A value that does not change.
Coprime
Two numbers are coprime if the only positive integer that divides both of them is 1.
Correlation
A statistic that measures the degree to which two variables move in relation to each other.
Cosine (cos)
A trigonometric function of an angle. In a right triangle, it is the ratio of the length of the adjacent side to the length of the hypotenuse.
Identity Matrix
A square matrix in which all the elements of the principal diagonal are ones and all other elements are zeros.
Improper Fraction
A fraction where the numerator is greater than or equal to the denominator.
Integral
Assigns numbers to functions in a way that describes displacement, area, volume, and other concepts that arise by combining infinitesimal data.
LCM (Least Common Multiple)
The smallest positive integer that is divisible by both of two or more numbers.
Limit (Calculus)
The value that a function (or sequence) approaches as the input (or index) approaches some value.
Linear Equation
An equation between two variables that gives a straight line when plotted on a graph.
Linear Regression
A linear approach to modeling the relationship between a scalar response and one or more explanatory variables.
Matrix
A rectangular array or table of numbers, symbols, or expressions, arranged in rows and columns.
Mean (Average)
The sum of a collection of numbers divided by the count of numbers in the collection.
Median
The value separating the higher half from the lower half of a data sample.
Mixed Number
A number consisting of an integer and a proper fraction.
Mode
The value that appears most often in a set of data values.
P-Value
The probability of obtaining test results at least as extreme as the results actually observed, under the assumption that the null hypothesis is correct.
Percentage Point
The numerical difference between two percentages.
Percentile
A measure used in statistics indicating the value below which a given percentage of observations in a group of observations falls.
Perfect Number
A positive integer that is equal to the sum of its proper positive divisors.
Permutation
An arrangement of its members into a sequence or linear order, or if the set is already ordered, a rearrangement of its elements.
Pi (π)
The ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. It is an irrational number, which means that it cannot be expressed as a common fraction, although fractions such as 22/7 are commonly used to approximate it.
Prime Number
A natural number greater than 1 that is not a product of two smaller natural numbers.
Probability
The branch of mathematics concerning numerical descriptions of how likely an event is to occur.
Probability Distribution
A mathematical function that gives the probabilities of occurrence of different possible outcomes for an experiment.
Pythagorean Theorem
A fundamental relation in Euclidean geometry among the three sides of a right triangle. It states that the area of the square whose side is the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the areas of the squares on the other two sides.
Scatter Plot
A type of plot or mathematical diagram using Cartesian coordinates to display values for typically two variables for a set of data.
Scientific Notation
A way of expressing numbers that are too large or too small to be conveniently written in decimal form.
Set Theory
A branch of mathematical logic that studies sets, which informally are collections of objects.
Sieve of Eratosthenes
An ancient algorithm for finding all prime numbers up to any given limit.
Significant Figures
The digits in a number that contribute to its precision.
Sine (sin)
A trigonometric function of an angle. In a right triangle, it is the ratio of the length of the opposite side to the length of the hypotenuse.
Singular Matrix
A square matrix that does not have a matrix inverse.
Standard Deviation
A measure of the amount of variation or dispersion of a set of values.
Tangent (tan)
A trigonometric function of an angle. In a right triangle, it is the ratio of the length of the opposite side to the length of the adjacent side.
Truncation
The act of limiting the number of digits right of the decimal point by discarding the least significant ones.
Twin Primes
A pair of prime numbers that differ by 2.