Glossary for GCSE Maths
Mathematical terms you need to know for GCSE exam success.
Algebra - A branch of mathematics that deals with symbols and the rules for manipulating these symbols to solve equations.
Angle - The measure of the amount of rotation required to bring one line or plane into coincidence with another.
Area - The amount of space inside a two-dimensional shape, usually measured in square units.
Arc - A segment of a circle's circumference.
Axis - A straight line used for reference when plotting graphs or coordinates.
Binomial - An algebraic expression that consists of two terms.
Box plot - A graphical representation of data that shows the median, quartiles, and outliers of a set of data.
Cartesian plane - A two-dimensional coordinate system that uses horizontal and vertical axes to locate points.
Circle - A closed two-dimensional shape where all points on the boundary are equidistant from a fixed point called the center.
Coefficient - A numerical or constant factor that multiplies a variable in an algebraic expression.
Complementary angles - Two angles whose sum is 90 degrees.
Composite number - A number that has more than two factors.
Cone - A three-dimensional shape with a circular base and a curved surface that tapers to a point called the apex.
Congruent - Two shapes are congruent if they have the same shape and size.
Constant - A number that does not change in a mathematical expression or equation.
Coordinates - The position of a point in space relative to a fixed reference point or origin, usually expressed as an ordered pair of numbers.
Cosine - The trigonometric function that gives the ratio of the adjacent side to the hypotenuse of a right triangle.
Cross-section - The shape formed by cutting through an object perpendicular to its length.
Cube - A three-dimensional shape with six square faces.
Cylinder - A three-dimensional shape with two circular bases and a curved surface.
Denominator - The bottom part of a fraction that represents the number of equal parts into which a whole is divided.
Denominator - The bottom part of a fraction that represents the number of equal parts into which a whole is divided.
Derivative - The rate at which a function changes over time or space.
Diagonal - A line segment connecting two non-adjacent vertices of a polygon.
Diameter - A straight line that passes through the center of a circle and touches two points on its circumference.
Digit - One of the symbols used to represent numbers, usually from 0 to 9.
Discriminant - The expression b^2 - 4ac in the quadratic formula that determines the nature of the roots of a quadratic equation.
Distributive property - A property of multiplication that states a(b + c) = ab + ac.
Dividend - The number being divided in a division problem.
Divisor - The number that divides the dividend in a division problem.
Equation - A mathematical statement that two expressions are equal.
Exponent - A number that indicates how many times a base is multiplied by itself.
Factor - A number or algebraic expression that divides exactly into another number or expression.
Factorization - The process of writing a number or expression as a product of its factors.
Fibonacci sequence - A sequence of numbers where each number is the sum of the two preceding numbers: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, ...
Fractal - A geometric shape that has self-similarity at different scales.
Frequency - The number of times a particular value appears in a set of data.
Function - A relation between two sets of elements such that there is a unique element in the second set assigned to each element in the first set.
Function notation - A way of expressing a function using a specific symbol and variable.
Geometric mean - The nth root of the product of n numbers.
Gradient - The slope of a line, usually expressed as rise over run.
Graph - A visual representation of data using coordinates or other mathematical tools.
Golden ratio - A special number that is approximately equal to 1.61803398875 and is found in many natural and artistic patterns.
HCF - The highest common factor of two or more numbers.
Hypotenuse - The longest side of a right-triangle, which is opposite the right angle and is found using the Pythagorean theorem.
Improper fraction - A fraction where the numerator is greater than or equal to the denominator.
HCF - The highest common factor of two or more numbers.
Hypotenuse - The longest side of a right-triangle, which is opposite the right angle and is found using the Pythagorean theorem.
Improper fraction - A fraction where the numerator is greater than or equal to the denominator.
Indices - A mathematical operation where a number is raised to a power.
Inequality - A mathematical statement that compares two quantities using the symbols <, >, ≤, or ≥.
Inverse function - A function that undoes the effect of another function.
Irrational number - A number that cannot be expressed as a ratio of two integers.
Isosceles triangle - A triangle with two sides of equal length.
Intersect - The point at which two lines or curves meet or cross.
Line of best fit - A straight line that is the best approximation of a set of data points.
LCM - The lowest common multiple of two or more numbers.
Limit - The value that a function approaches as the input approaches a certain value.
Matrix - A rectangular array of numbers or variables arranged in rows and columns.
Mean - The average value of a set of numbers, calculated by dividing the sum of the numbers by the number of elements in the set.
Median - The middle value in a set of numbers when they are arranged in order from least to greatest.
Mode - The most frequent value in a set of numbers.
Negative number - A number less than zero.
Obtuse angle - An angle greater than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees.
Octagon - A polygon with eight sides and eight angles.
Order of operations - A set of rules for evaluating mathematical expressions, usually given as PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division, Addition and Subtraction).
Parabola - A U-shaped curve formed by the graph of a quadratic function.
Parallel lines - Two lines in a plane that never intersect, no matter how far they are extended.
Percent - A fraction expressed as a part of 100.
Perimeter - The distance around the edge of a two-dimensional shape.
Perpendicular lines - Two lines that intersect at a right angle.
Pi - A mathematical constant equal to the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, approximately 3.14159.
Plane - A flat, two-dimensional surface that extends infinitely in all directions.
Point - A specific location in space, usually represented by a dot.
Polynomial - An algebraic expression made up of one or more terms.
Positive number - A number greater than zero.
Power - An expression where a number is raised to a certain exponent or power.
Quadratic - A polynomial of degree two, represented by an equation of the form ax^2 + bx + c = 0.
Ratio - The comparison of two quantities, usually expressed in the form a:b or a/b.
Simultaneous equations - Two or more equations with two or more variables that are solved together.
Trigonometry - The study of the relationships between the sides and angles of triangles.