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| Sample Space | In probability, all the possible ways that an event can happen. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Scalar | A quantity that represents a magnitude. It can be represented by a real number. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Scalene triangle | A triangle with no sides congruent | All sides are a different length |  |
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| Scatter plot | A graph that relates ordered sets of data. | Scatter plots frequently have dots or x's |  |
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| Scientific Notation | A number expressed in the form a x 10n where n is an integer and 1 < a < 10. For a number between 0 and 1, the exponent n will be a negative. | 3450 = 3.45 x 103
0.052 = 5.2 x 10-2 |
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| Sector of a circle | The portion of the interior of a circle intercepted by a central angle. | Like a slice of a round pie | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Segment | Part of a line consisting of two endpoints and all the points between them | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Semicircle | Exactly half a circle | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Sigma Σ σ | Greek letter used in math and statistics problems | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Similar Figures | Figures that have the same shape, but not the same size. | Same angles, proportional sides | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Similar Triangles | Triangles that have the same angles, but not necessarily the same size. | Same shape | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Similarity ratio | The ratio of the lengths of corresponding sides in a similar polygon. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Simple fraction | A fraction that has one number in the numerator and one number in the denominator |
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| Simple Interest | Interest calculated using the formula I = prt, where I is interest paid, p is principle, r is the interest rate charged, and t is the time period. | The interest on $300 at 5% per year for 4 years is I = prt = 300(.05)(4) = $60 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplify | Combine all like terms that can be combined and get rid of parentheses to cut down on the number of terms in an expression | 5 + 3 simplifies to 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Sine | The ratio of the length of the side opposite an angle and the hypotenuse in a right triangle | side opposite divided by hypotenuse | see Trigonometry | |||||||||||||||||||
| Skew lines | Two lines that are not in the same plane. They do not intersect and they are not parallel. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Slope | The measure of the steepness of a line. Slope is the change
in y (up and down) divided by the change in x (left and right). Slope is abbreviated m. |
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| Slope-Intercept form | A linear equation written in the form y = mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept | y = 2x + 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Solve | Find the answer. In algebra, it means to figure out what the variable stands for. |
x + 5 = 7 so x = 2 |
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| Solution or root | A number that makes an equation a true statement | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Solution set | The set of all numbers that satisfy an equation (make it true). | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Space | The set of all points. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Square | A parallelogram with four congruent sides and four right angles | All sides and angles equal | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Square Root | If a2 = b, then a is the square root of b. Square root is the opposite of square. | 5 and -5 are square roots of 25 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Standard Form of a Polynomial | When the degree of the terms in a polynomial decrease from left to right. | 5x3 + 3x2 - x + 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Statistics | The branch of mathematics that deals with the collection, analysis, interpretation, explanation, and presentation of data. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Straight angle | An angle that measures 180°, a straight line. |
x = 180° |
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| Straightedge | A ruler that doesn't have any markings on it used to draw lines where the exact length doesn't matter. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Subtraction | Adding the opposite | 7x - 3x = 7x + (-3x) = 4x | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Supplementary angles | Two positive angles whose measures add to 180 degrees. When adjacent (sharing a side) supplementary angles make a straight line. | A + B = 180° | ||||||||||||||||||||
| System of Linear Equations | Two or more linear equations for which a common solution is sought. | The solution is where the two lines cross when graphed. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| T
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| Table of Values | A method for finding points that solve an equation so the equation can be graphed. You guess an x, then plug it into the equation to solve for the matching y value. Continue until you have enough (x,y) pairs to graph. |
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| Tangent | The ratio of the length of the side opposite an angle and the side adjacent to the angle in a right triangle | side opposite divided by side adjacent | see Trigonometry | |||||||||||||||||||
| Term | A grouping together of one or more factors (variables and/or number). Multiplication or division connects letters to numbers in a term. Addition and subtraction symbols separate terms. |
4xy is one term 3xy + 5x – 6 |
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| Theorem | A conjecture that is proven. In geometry, properties, postulates and theorems are used to prove other theorems | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Theoretical Probability | The calculated chance that something will happen based on the number of ways possible | in tossing a coin, the theoretical probability of getting heads is: P(heads) = ½ |
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| Theta Θ θ | Greek letter frequently used to represent angles | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Translation | When a graph is shifted in a horizontal or vertical direction. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Trapezoid | A quadrilateral with exactly one pair of parallel sides. | Two sides are parallel, other sides are not. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Trend Line | A line on a scatter plot that can be drawn to pass through the points. The trend line shows the correlation between the two sets of data. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Triangle | A polygon with three sides and three angles | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Trigonometry | The study of the relationship between angles and sides in a triangle. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Truncated decimal | A fraction, that when converted to a decimal ends with repeating zeros. Because math people are so lazy, they don't write the zeros or show them as a repeating digit. | ¼ = 0.250000..... = 0.25 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Two-Step Equation | An equation that has two operations and requires two steps to solve. See Solving Simple Equations. | 7x - 5 = 9 is a two-step equation | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Unbounded intervals | Intervals with end points at + ∞ on the real number line used to define the domain of an inequality. See bounded intervals | [a,∞) means x > a (a,∞) means x > a, an open interval (-∞,b] means x < b (-∞,b) means x < b, an open interval (-∞,∞) means the entire number line |
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| Undefined terms | Words, usually easily understood, that are not formally explained or defined. | In geometry, point, line, and plane are underfined terms | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Unit Circle | A circle with a radius r = 1 and its center is at the origin. The equation is x2 + y2 = 1 | See Trigonometry | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Unknown | The value represented by a letter in an equation. The unknown is also called the variable. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Variable | A letter that is used to represent a number. When a variable is used in an equation, the value of the variable can be solved for and its value becomes the solution to the equation. |
x |
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| Variable expression | A mathematical phrase that contains at least one variable | 8 - x is a variable expression | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Vector | A quantity that has both magnitude and direction | Example: 5 miles north | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Vertex | The point on a parabola where the arch turns. If the parabola opens up, the vertex is the smallest value of the function. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Vertical angles | Two angles whose sides are opposite rays | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Vertical line test | A method used to determine if the graph of a relation is a function. For all functions, a vertical line will never cross the graph more than once. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Volume | The measure of the amount of space enclosed by a three-dimentional figure. | The volume of a cube is side X side X side | ||||||||||||||||||||
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