Key takeaway: This math glossary defines 370 terms taught from Grade 6 to Grade 12, each with a plain-language definition, the formula or notation, a figure and a solved example.
Every page of this math glossary answers one question: what does this word mean, and how do I use it? The terms follow the vocabulary of the Common Core State Standards for Grades 6 to 8, Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra 2, and the College Board course descriptions for Precalculus, AP Calculus AB and AP Statistics.
Open a term to find a one-sentence answer, a precise definition, the notation, a colorful figure, a solved problem and the mistake students make most often. Each page also points to the matching lesson, worksheet and quiz, so you can go from the definition straight to the method. Pick a grade or a topic below, or jump to a letter of the A–Z list.
Math terms from A to Z
A
- AA Similarity Geometry
- Absolute Value Grade 6
- Absolute Value Function Algebra 1
- Addition Rule of Probability Algebra 2
- Additive Inverse Grade 7
- Adjacent Angles Grade 7
- Algebraic Expression Grade 6
- Alternate Interior Angles Grade 8
- Amplitude Algebra 2
- Angle Geometry
- Angle Bisector Geometry
- Angle of Elevation and Depression Geometry
- Antiderivative AP Calculus AB
- Arc (Circle) Geometry
- Arc Length Geometry
- Area Grade 6
- Area Between Curves AP Calculus AB
- Area of a Circle Grade 7
- Area of a Parallelogram Grade 6
- Area of a Sector Geometry
- Area of a Trapezoid Grade 6
- Area of a Triangle Grade 6
- Arithmetic Sequence Algebra 1
- Arithmetic Series Algebra 2
- Asymptote Algebra 2
- Average Rate of Change Algebra 1
- Average Value of a Function AP Calculus AB
- Axis of Symmetry Algebra 1
B
- Binomial Algebra 1
- Binomial Distribution AP Statistics
- Binomial Theorem Precalculus
- Box Plot Grade 6
C
- Categorical and Quantitative Variables AP Statistics
- Cavalieri's Principle Geometry
- Central Angle Geometry
- Central Limit Theorem AP Statistics
- Centroid Geometry
- Chain Rule AP Calculus AB
- Change of Base Formula Algebra 2
- Chi-Square Test AP Statistics
- Chord Geometry
- Circumcenter Geometry
- Circumference Grade 7
- Coefficient Grade 6
- Coefficient of Determination (r²) AP Statistics
- Combination Precalculus
- Commission Grade 7
- Complementary Angles Grade 7
- Completing the Square Algebra 1
- Complex Conjugate Algebra 2
- Complex Fraction Grade 7
- Complex Number Algebra 2
- Composition of Functions Algebra 2
- Compound Event Grade 7
- Compound Inequality Algebra 1
- Compound Interest Algebra 1
- Concavity AP Calculus AB
- Conditional Probability Geometry
- Conditional Statement Geometry
- Confidence Interval AP Statistics
- Confounding Variable AP Statistics
- Congruent Figures Grade 8
- Congruent Triangles Geometry
- Conic Sections Precalculus
- Constant of Proportionality Grade 7
- Continuity AP Calculus AB
- Converse Geometry
- Conversion Factor Grade 6
- Coordinate Plane Grade 6
- Correlation Coefficient Algebra 1
- Correlation vs. Causation Algebra 1
- Corresponding Angles Grade 8
- Cosine Geometry
- Coterminal Angles Algebra 2
- CPCTC Geometry
- Critical Point AP Calculus AB
- Cross Multiplication Grade 7
- Cross Section Grade 7
- Cube Root Grade 8
D
- De Moivre's Theorem Precalculus
- Definite Integral AP Calculus AB
- Degree of a Polynomial Algebra 1
- Degrees of Freedom AP Statistics
- Dependent Variable Grade 6
- Derivative AP Calculus AB
- Derivative Rules AP Calculus AB
- Determinant Precalculus
- Difference of Squares Algebra 1
- Differential Equation AP Calculus AB
- Dilation Grade 8
- Discount Grade 7
- Discriminant Algebra 1
- Disk Method AP Calculus AB
- Distance Formula Grade 8
- Distributive Property Grade 6
- Dividing Fractions Grade 6
- Domain and Range Algebra 1
- Dot Plot Grade 6
- Dot Product Precalculus
- Double Number Line Grade 6
- Double-Angle Formulas Precalculus
E
- Elimination Method Grade 8
- Ellipse Precalculus
- Empirical Rule (68-95-99.7) Algebra 2
- End Behavior Algebra 2
- Equation Grade 6
- Equation of a Circle Geometry
- Equation of a Tangent Line AP Calculus AB
- Equivalent Expressions Grade 6
- Equivalent Ratios Grade 6
- Euler's Number (e) Algebra 2
- Expected Value Precalculus
- Experiment vs. Observational Study AP Statistics
- Experimental Probability Grade 7
- Explicit Formula Algebra 1
- Exponent Grade 6
- Exponent Rules Grade 8
- Exponential Decay Algebra 1
- Exponential Equation Algebra 2
- Exponential Function Algebra 1
- Exponential Growth Algebra 1
- Exterior Angle Theorem Grade 8
- Extraneous Solution Algebra 2
- Extreme Value Theorem AP Calculus AB
F
- Factor Theorem Algebra 2
- Factorial Precalculus
- Factoring Algebra 1
- Factoring Out the GCF Algebra 1
- First Derivative Test AP Calculus AB
- Five-Number Summary AP Statistics
- Focus and Directrix Geometry
- FOIL Method Algebra 1
- Frequency Table Grade 6
- Function Grade 8
- Function Notation Algebra 1
- Fundamental Theorem of Algebra Precalculus
- Fundamental Theorem of Calculus AP Calculus AB
G
- Geometric Sequence Algebra 1
- Geometric Series Algebra 2
- Greatest Common Factor (GCF) Grade 6
H
- Histogram Grade 6
- HL Theorem (Hypotenuse-Leg) Geometry
- Hyperbola Precalculus
- Hypotenuse Grade 8
- Hypothesis Testing AP Statistics
I
- Imaginary Unit (i) Algebra 2
- Implicit Differentiation AP Calculus AB
- Incenter Geometry
- Independent Events Geometry
- Independent Variable Grade 6
- Inequality Grade 6
- Inflection Point AP Calculus AB
- Inscribed Angle Geometry
- Integer Grade 6
- Integer Rules Grade 7
- Integral AP Calculus AB
- Intermediate Value Theorem AP Calculus AB
- Interquartile Range (IQR) Grade 6
- Inverse Function Algebra 1
- Inverse Matrix Precalculus
- Inverse Operations Grade 6
- Inverse Trigonometric Functions Precalculus
- Irrational Number Grade 8
- Isosceles Triangle Theorem Geometry
L
- L'Hôpital's Rule AP Calculus AB
- Law of Cosines Geometry
- Law of Large Numbers AP Statistics
- Law of Sines Geometry
- Least Common Multiple (LCM) Grade 6
- Least-Squares Regression Line AP Statistics
- Like Terms Grade 6
- Limit AP Calculus AB
- Limit at Infinity AP Calculus AB
- Limit Definition of the Derivative AP Calculus AB
- Line of Best Fit Grade 8
- Line Segment Geometry
- Linear Equation Grade 8
- Linear Function Grade 8
- Linear Regression Algebra 1
- Literal Equation Algebra 1
- Logarithm Algebra 2
- Logarithm Rules Algebra 2
- Long Division Grade 6
M
- Magnitude of a Vector Precalculus
- Margin of Error Algebra 2
- Markup Grade 7
- Matrix Precalculus
- Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD) Grade 6
- Mean Value Theorem AP Calculus AB
- Mean, Median and Mode Grade 6
- Midline Algebra 2
- Midpoint Formula Geometry
- Midsegment of a Triangle Geometry
- Monomial Algebra 1
- Multiplicity of a Zero Algebra 2
- Mutually Exclusive Events Algebra 2
N
- Natural Logarithm (ln) Algebra 2
- Negative Exponent Grade 8
- Net (3D Figure) Grade 6
- Nonlinear Function Grade 8
- Normal Distribution Algebra 2
- nth Root Algebra 2
- Null and Alternative Hypotheses AP Statistics
O
- One-Sided Limit AP Calculus AB
- One-Step Equation Grade 6
- One-to-One Function Algebra 2
- Opposite Numbers Grade 6
- Optimization (Calculus) AP Calculus AB
- Order of Operations (PEMDAS) Grade 6
- Ordered Pair Grade 6
- Outlier Grade 6
P
- P-Value AP Statistics
- Parabola Algebra 1
- Parallel Lines Geometry
- Parallelogram Geometry
- Parametric Equations Precalculus
- Pascal's Triangle Precalculus
- Percent Grade 6
- Percent Change Grade 7
- Percent Decrease Grade 7
- Percent Error Grade 7
- Percent Increase Grade 7
- Percentile AP Statistics
- Perfect Square Grade 8
- Perfect Square Trinomial Algebra 1
- Period of a Function Algebra 2
- Permutation Precalculus
- Perpendicular Bisector Geometry
- Perpendicular Lines Geometry
- Phase Shift Precalculus
- Pi (π) Grade 7
- Piecewise Function Algebra 1
- Point, Line and Plane Geometry
- Point-Slope Form Algebra 1
- Polar Coordinates Precalculus
- Polar Form of a Complex Number Precalculus
- Polynomial Algebra 1
- Polynomial Long Division Algebra 2
- Population (Statistics) Grade 7
- Power Rule AP Calculus AB
- Prime Factorization Grade 6
- Probability Grade 7
- Product Rule AP Calculus AB
- Proportion Grade 7
- Proportional Relationship Grade 7
- Pythagorean Identity Algebra 2
- Pythagorean Theorem Grade 8
- Pythagorean Triple Grade 8
Q
- Quadrants Grade 6
- Quadratic Formula Algebra 1
- Quadratic Function Algebra 1
- Quartiles Grade 6
- Quotient Grade 6
- Quotient Rule AP Calculus AB
R
- Radian Geometry
- Radius and Diameter Grade 7
- Random Sample Grade 7
- Random Variable AP Statistics
- Range (Statistics) Grade 6
- Rate Grade 6
- Rate of Change Grade 8
- Ratio Grade 6
- Ratio Table Grade 6
- Rational Exponents Algebra 1
- Rational Expression Algebra 2
- Rational Function Algebra 2
- Rational Number Grade 6
- Rational Root Theorem Precalculus
- Ray Geometry
- Real Numbers Grade 8
- Reciprocal Grade 6
- Rectangular Prism Grade 6
- Recursive Formula Algebra 1
- Reference Angle Algebra 2
- Reflection (Geometry) Grade 8
- Related Rates AP Calculus AB
- Relative Frequency Grade 8
- Remainder Theorem Algebra 2
- Repeating Decimal Grade 7
- Residual Algebra 1
- Rhombus Geometry
- Riemann Sum AP Calculus AB
- Rigid Transformation Geometry
- Rotation (Geometry) Grade 8
S
- Sales Tax Grade 7
- Same-Side Interior Angles Geometry
- Sample Space Grade 7
- Sampling Bias AP Statistics
- Sampling Distribution AP Statistics
- Scale Drawing Grade 7
- Scale Factor Grade 7
- Scatter Plot Grade 8
- Scientific Notation Grade 8
- Second Derivative Test AP Calculus AB
- Separation of Variables AP Calculus AB
- Sigma Notation Algebra 2
- Significance Level (Alpha) AP Statistics
- Similar Figures Grade 8
- Similar Triangles Geometry
- Simple Interest Grade 7
- Simple Random Sample AP Statistics
- Simplifying Radicals Algebra 1
- Simulation Grade 7
- Sine Geometry
- Skewed Distribution AP Statistics
- Slope Grade 8
- Slope Field AP Calculus AB
- Slope Formula Grade 8
- Slope-Intercept Form Grade 8
- SOHCAHTOA Geometry
- Solid of Revolution Geometry
- Special Right Triangles Geometry
- Square Root Grade 8
- Squeeze Theorem AP Calculus AB
- Standard Deviation Algebra 1
- Standard Error AP Statistics
- Standard Form of a Linear Equation Algebra 1
- Standard Form of a Quadratic Algebra 1
- Statistical Question Grade 6
- Stratified Random Sampling AP Statistics
- Substitution Method Grade 8
- Sum and Difference Formulas Precalculus
- Supplementary Angles Grade 7
- Surface Area Grade 6
- Synthetic Division Algebra 2
- System of Equations Grade 8
- System of Inequalities Algebra 1
T
- t-Distribution AP Statistics
- t-Test AP Statistics
- Tangent (Trigonometric Ratio) Geometry
- Tangent to a Circle Geometry
- Tape Diagram Grade 6
- Term (Algebra) Grade 6
- Terminating Decimal Grade 7
- Theoretical Probability Grade 7
- Transformations of Functions Algebra 2
- Translation (Geometry) Grade 8
- Transversal Grade 8
- Tree Diagram Grade 7
- Triangle Angle Sum Theorem Grade 8
- Triangle Congruence (SSS, SAS, ASA, AAS) Geometry
- Triangle Inequality Theorem Grade 7
- Trigonometric Identities Precalculus
- Trinomial Algebra 1
- Two-Column Proof Geometry
- Two-Step Equation Grade 7
- Two-Step Inequality Grade 7
- Two-Way Table Grade 8
- Type I and Type II Errors AP Statistics
U
- U-Substitution AP Calculus AB
- Unit Circle Algebra 2
- Unit Price Grade 6
- Unit Rate Grade 6
V
- Variable Grade 6
- Vector Precalculus
- Vertex Form Algebra 1
- Vertex of a Parabola Algebra 1
- Vertical Angles Grade 7
- Vertical Line Test Algebra 1
- Volume Grade 6
- Volume of a Cone Grade 8
- Volume of a Cylinder Grade 8
- Volume of a Pyramid Geometry
- Volume of a Sphere Grade 8
X
- X-Intercept Algebra 1
Y
- Y-Intercept Grade 8
Z
- Z-Score Algebra 2
- Zero Exponent Grade 8
- Zero Product Property Algebra 1
- Zeros of a Function Algebra 1