Appendix F - Glossary
(S-Z)

sample

A selection from a population.

scalar

A quantity that can be completely specified by a number and unit and therefore has magnitude only.

second-hand data

Data not collected directly by the researcher. For example, encyclopedia.

semicircle

Half a circle; either of the two parts of a circle cut off by a diameter.

sequence

A succession of terms a₁, a₂, a₃ . . . formed according to some rule or law.

series

The indicated sum of the terms of a sequence.

SI notation

Abbreviation for Système International d'Unites -International System of Units-kilogram, second, ampere, Kelvin, candela, mole.

side

Line or surface forming a border or face of an object.

sigma notation (summation notation)

The sign … (Greek capital sigma) used to indicate summation of a set or sequence of numbers or variables.

simple interest

Interest calculated on the principal only.

sine (function)

See primary trigonometric functions.

sine law(law of sines)

A formula used for solving triangles in plane trigonometry.

skeleton

A representation of the edges of a polyhedron.

skip counting

Counting by multiples of a number. For example, 2, 4, 6, 8.

slide

A linear transformation of an object or figure.

slope-intercept form

A linear equation of the form y = mx 1 b where m 5 slope and b 5 y-intercept.

sphere

A solid whose surface is all points equidistant from a centre point.

square root

The root of an expression is the term that when multiplied by itself produces the expression, for example: 5 is the square root of 25; x is the square root of
x².

standard deviation

The positive square root of the variance.

standard form

A simple form of an equation; a form in which the equation is usually written.

standard position

An angle positioned such that the initial arm is the positive horizontal (x) axis. Counter clockwise rotation is a positive angle.

stem-and-leaf plot

Information tabulated so that the last digit is the leaf and the digit(s) in front are the stem.

step function

A function that jumps from one value to another without taking on any of the intermediate values.

straight angle

An angle whose measure is 180°.

supplementary angles

Two angles whose sum is 180°.

symmetrical

Having either rotational or plane symmetry.

tangent (function)

See primary trigonometric functions.

tangent (of a curve)

A line that touches a curve at only one point (the point of tangency).

tangram

A square cut into seven shapes: two large triangles, one medium triangle, two small triangles, one square, and one parallelogram.

term

Part of an equation or mathematical expression as in a polynomial, the terms are the expressions that are added together.

terminating decimal

A decimal number where the digits do not indefinitely repeat.

tessellation

A repeated pattern of a geometric figure that will completely cover a surface.

theoretical probability

The numerical measure of the likelihood that an event will happen; favourable outcomes ÷ possible outcomes.

transformation

A change in the form of a mathematical expression or figure, as by rearranging the terms.

translation

A slide transformation of an object or figure.

transversal

A line that intersects two or more lines at different points.

trapezoid

A quadrilateral with exactly two parallel sides that are unequal in length.

tree diagram

A pictorial way of representing combinations of things.

trigonometry

The branch of mathematics concerned with solving triangles by using trigonometric functions, arithmetic, algebra, and geometry.

trinomial

A polynomial that has three terms. For example: ax² + bx + c

turn

A rotation transformation of an object or figure.

unit vector

A vector that has the length (or magnitude) of one unit.

variable

A mathematical entity that can stand for any of the members of a given set.

vector

A directed line segment used to describe a quantity that has direction as well as magnitude.

vertex (pl: vertices)

The point of intersection of the sides of a polygon or faces of a solid.

vertically opposite angles

Opposite (and equal) angles resulting from the intersection of line segments.

whole number

An integer, positive, negative, or zero.
For example: 24, 23, 22, 21 0, 1, 2, 3, 4.

x-intercept

The distance from the origin to the point at which a curve cuts the x-axis (horizontal axis).

y-intercept

The distance from the origin to the point at which a curve cuts the y-axis (vertical axis).

zero (root)

If, for a function f(x), the value x 5 a is such that f(a)=0, then a is a zero of the function; where the graph of a function meets the x-axis.

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