BaQS 2 - Mathematical Terminology Study Bank

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering fundamental mathematical concepts across Numbers, Algebra, Geometry, Mensuration, Trigonometry, Probability, and Statistics from the BaQS 2 Terminology Study Bank.

Natural number

A positive whole number used for counting.

Rational number

A number that can be written as $\frac{a}{b}$, where $a$ and $b$ are integers and $b$ is not zero.

Irrational number

A real number that cannot be written as a fraction of two integers.

Highest Common Factor (HCF)

The largest factor shared by two or more numbers.

Lowest Common Multiple (LCM)

The smallest positive multiple shared by two or more numbers.

Standard form

A number written as $a \times 10^n$ with $1 \le |a| < 10$.

Surd

An irrational root left in exact form.

Reciprocal

The multiplicative inverse of a non-zero number.

Variable

A letter or symbol representing an unknown or changing value.

Coefficient

A numerical factor multiplying a variable.

Like terms

Terms with the same variables raised to the same powers.

Difference of two squares

The identity $a^2 - b^2 = (a - b)(a + b)$.

Gradient

The steepness of a line: change in $y$ divided by change in $x$.

Completing the square

Rewriting a quadratic as $(x + p)^2 + q$.

Discriminant

The expression $b^2 - 4ac$, indicating the number of real quadratic roots.

Derivative

A function giving the instantaneous rate of change or gradient.

Stationary point

A point on a curve where the derivative equals zero.

Transversal

A line crossing two or more other lines.

Complementary angles

Two angles whose sum is $90^\circ$.

Supplementary angles

Two angles whose sum is $180^\circ$.

Exterior angle of a triangle

An exterior angle equals the sum of the two opposite interior angles.

Rhombus

A quadrilateral with four equal sides and opposite sides parallel.

Tangent

A line touching a circle at exactly one point.

Secant

A line intersecting a circle at two points.

Frustum

The part of a cone or pyramid after a cut parallel to its base.

Pythagoras' theorem

In a right triangle, hypotenuse squared equals the sum of the squares of the other sides.

Similar shapes

Shapes with equal corresponding angles and proportional corresponding lengths.

Congruent shapes

Shapes with exactly the same shape and size.

Bearing

A direction measured clockwise from north and written as three digits.

Angle of elevation

The angle from the horizontal up to a line of sight.

Angle of depression

The angle from the horizontal down to a line of sight.

Sine rule

A rule for non-right triangles: $\frac{a}{\sin(A)} = \frac{b}{\sin(B)} = \frac{c}{\sin(C)}$.

Cosine rule

A rule relating three sides and an included angle: $a^2 = b^2 + c^2 - 2bc\cos(A)$.

Sample space

The set of all possible outcomes.

Mutually exclusive events

Events that cannot occur at the same time.

Independent events

Events where one outcome does not affect the other.

Relative frequency

The proportion of trials in which an event occurs.

Discrete data

Numerical data taking separate countable values.

Continuous data

Numerical data taking any value within a range.

Frequency density

Histogram bar height equal to frequency divided by class width.

Histogram

A graph for continuous grouped data where bar area represents frequency.

Interquartile range (IQR)

$Q_3 - Q_1$, measuring the spread of the middle $50\%$.

Line of best fit

A line representing the overall trend in a scatter diagram.

Interpolation

Estimating within the observed data range.

Extrapolation

Estimating outside the observed data range.

Outlier

A value unusually far from the rest.