GED Math – College Ready Guide

This set of flashcards contains key vocabulary terms and definitions relevant to GED Math, covering topics in numbers and operations, algebra, geometry, data, and probability.

Fractions

Numerical quantities that are not whole numbers, represented by a numerator and a denominator.

Decimals

Numerical representations that include a decimal point, indicating a value less than one.

Percent

A ratio expressed as a fraction of 100, often used to compare relative sizes.

Unit conversions

The process of converting a measurement from one unit to another.

Ratio

A relationship between two numbers indicating how many times the first number contains the second.

Proportion

An equation that states that two ratios are equal.

Algebra

A branch of mathematics dealing with symbols and the rules for manipulating those symbols.

Inequalities

Mathematical expressions that show the relationship between quantities that are not equal.

Slope

The measure of the steepness of a line, calculated as the rise over the run.

Slope-intercept form

A way of writing the equation of a line in the form y = mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept.

Systems of equations

A set of equations with the same variables that are solved together.

Area

The measure of the space inside a two-dimensional shape, measured in square units.

Perimeter

The total distance around the edge of a two-dimensional shape.

Volume

The measure of space occupied by a three-dimensional object, measured in cubic units.

Surface area

The total area of the surfaces of a three-dimensional object.

Pythagorean theorem

A fundamental relation in Euclidean geometry among the three sides of a right triangle: a² + b² = c².

Circle formulas

Mathematical equations used to calculate the circumference and area of circles.

Mean

The average of a set of numbers, found by dividing the sum by the count of numbers.

Median

The middle value in a set of numbers when arranged in order.

Mode

The value that appears most frequently in a data set.

Range

The difference between the highest and lowest values in a data set.

Probability rules

Guidelines that determine the likelihood of occurrences of different outcomes.

Interpreting graphs & tables

The process of analyzing visual representations of data to draw conclusions or make inferences.

Fractions

Numerical quantities that are not whole numbers, represented by a numerator and a denominator.

Decimals

Numerical representations that include a decimal point, indicating a value less than one.

Percent

A ratio expressed as a fraction of 100, often used to compare relative sizes.

Unit conversions

The process of converting a measurement from one unit to another.

Ratio

A relationship between two numbers indicating how many times the first number contains the second.

Proportion

An equation that states that two ratios are equal.

Algebra

A branch of mathematics dealing with symbols and the rules for manipulating those symbols.

Inequalities

Mathematical expressions that show the relationship between quantities that are not equal.

Slope

The measure of the steepness of a line, calculated as the rise over the run.

Slope-intercept form

A way of writing the equation of a line in the form y = mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept.

Systems of equations

A set of equations with the same variables that are solved together.

Area

The measure of the space inside a two-dimensional shape, measured in square units.

Perimeter

The total distance around the edge of a two-dimensional shape.

Volume

The measure of space occupied by a three-dimensional object, measured in cubic units.

Surface area

The total area of the surfaces of a three-dimensional object.

Pythagorean theorem

A fundamental relation in Euclidean geometry among the three sides of a right triangle: a² + b² = c².

Circle formulas

Mathematical equations used to calculate the circumference and area of circles.

Mean

The average of a set of numbers, found by dividing the sum by the count of numbers.

Median

The middle value in a set of numbers when arranged in order.

Mode

The value that appears most frequently in a data set.

Range

The difference between the highest and lowest values in a data set.

Probability rules

Guidelines that determine the likelihood of occurrences of different outcomes.

Interpreting graphs & tables

The process of analyzing visual representations of data to draw conclusions or make inferences.

Order of Operations (PEMDAS)

The sequence of steps to solve mathematical expressions: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), Addition and Subtraction (from left to right). Example: (2 + 3) \times 4 - 1 = 19

Common Denominator

A shared multiple of the denominators of two or more fractions, necessary for adding or subtracting them. Example: For \frac{1}{2} and \frac{1}{3}, the least common denominator is 6.

Least Common Multiple (LCM)

The smallest positive integer that is a multiple of two or more given integers. Example: The LCM of 4 and 6 is 12.

Quadratic Equation

An equation of the second degree, meaning it contains at least one term in which the unknown variable is squared (ax^2 + bx + c = 0). Example: x^2 - 5x + 6 = 0 has solutions x=2 and x=3.

Congruent Shapes

Two figures are congruent if they have the same size and shape. All corresponding sides and angles are equal.

Theoretical Probability

The probability of an event based on reasoning without conducting an experiment, calculated as \frac{\text{Number of favorable outcomes}}{\text{Total number of possible outcomes}}. Example: The theoretical probability of rolling a 3 on a fair six-sided die is \frac{1}{6}.