Mathematics 6: Course Glossary


acute angle:
an angle between 0° and 90° in size

acute triangle:
a triangle that has three acute angles

algebraic expression:
an expression that uses variables and constants to represent particular quantities

area:
the number of square units needed to cover a surface

arm of an angle:
each of the two rays that form an angle

array:
data organized in a table or in rows and columns

astronomical unit:
the distance from Earth to the sun, approximately 150 million kilometres

broken-line graph:
a graph formed by joining points on a grid

certain event:
an event that always occurs

class:
interval

common factor:
a factor that divides into two or more given numbers

common multiple:
a number that is a multiple of two or more whole numbers

composite number:
a whole number with more than two factors

constant:
a number in an algebraic expression that represents a quantity that does not change in value

data:
information obtained through a survey or experiment

decagon:
a ten-sided polygon

denominator:
in a fraction, the number below the bar

double-bar graph:
a bar graph comparing two sets of data

ellipse:
an oval shape

equation:
a statement of the equality of two quantities

equilateral triangle:
a triangle with three equal sides

equivalent fractions:
fractions that represent the same amount

expanded form:
the form that shows the place values of the digits of a numeral

experimental probability:
a fraction between 0 and 1 determined by dividing the number of times a particular event is observed to occur by the total number of times the experiment is conducted

factor:
one whole number that divides into another whole number

fair game:
a game in which all the players have the same chance of winning

favourable outcomes:
outcomes of an experiment in which a particular event under investigation occurs

first-hand data:
data that you collect directly from the original source

flip:
to form a mirror image of a shape

frequency:
the number of times a value occurs in a data set

Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic:
Any whole number can be written as a product of a unique set of prime numbers.

gram:
the basic unit of mass in the metric system

greatest common factor:
the largest in the list of factors that divide into two or more given numbers

guess and test:
a problem-solving strategy that uses trials to test possible answers

hectare:
the area of a square that is 100 m on each side

hendecagon:
an eleven-sided polygon

heptagon:
a seven-sided polygon

hexagon:
a six-sided polygon

histogram:
a bar graph showing the frequency of data in consecutive intervals

impossible event:
an event that never occurs

improper fraction:
a fraction with a numerator that is larger than its denominator

integer:
a positive or negative whole number or a zero

interval:
the width of a bar in a histogram

inverse operation:
an operation that undoes a given operation

isosceles triangle:
a triangle with two equal sides

least common multiple:
the smallest common multiple

light-year:
the distance travelled by light in one year

line of symmetry:
a line about which a figure can be folded into two matching halves

line of symmetry:
a line drawn through the middle of a geometric shape about which each half of the shape can be reflected onto the other half

line plot:
a graph for organizing data consisting of a number line and marks above the number line for each value in the data set

lines of latitude:
imaginary lines circling Earth and running parallel to the equator

lines of longitude:
imaginary lines circling Earth and passing through the poles

litre:
the basic unit of capacity in the metric system; equivalent to 1000 cm3

lowest terms:
the simplified form of a fraction

mass:
a measure of the quantity of matter in an object

mean:
the average of a set of numbers found by adding the numbers in the set and then dividing this sum by the number of numbers in the set
median:
middle value

metre:
the basic unit of length in the metric system

microgram:
one-thousandth of a milligram

micron:
one-thousandth of a millimetre

middle value:
the value in a set of data for which the number of data less than this value is equal to the number of data that are greater than this value

milligram:
one-thousandth of a gram

mirror line:
a line of symmetry

mirror line:
a straight line in which a geometric shape is reflected

mixed number:
a whole number plus a proper fraction

multiple:
a number formed by multiplying a given whole number by another whole number

negative:
less than zero

nonagon:
a nine-sided polygon

numerator:
in a fraction, the number above the bar

obtuse angle:
an angle between 90° and 180° in size

obtuse triangle:
a triangle that has one obtuse angle

octagon:
an eight-sided polygon

ordered pair:
a pair of numbers that represent a point on a graph

parallelogram:
a quadrilateral with opposite sides parallel

parsec:
approximately 3.26 light-years

pentagon:
a five-sided polygon

percent:
out of a hundred

perimeter:
the distance around a figure

place value:
in a numeral, the value of a digit determined by its position to the left or right of the one's digit

Platonic solid:
a three-dimensional object with identical polygons as faces

polygon:
a closed two-dimensional figure with three or more sides

polygon:
a many-sided geometric figure

population:
all the people or objects being considered

positive:
greater than zero

possible outcomes:
all the results of an experiment

prediction:
a statement about what is expected to happen

prime factorization:
the product of prime numbers to which a given whole number is equal

prime number:
a whole number with exactly two factors

probability:
the study of chance

protractor:
an instrument used to measure angles

quadrilateral:
a four-sided polygon

random sample:
a sample for which each member of the population had the same chance of being selected

range:
the difference between the largest and smallest values in a set of data

rating scale:
a scale used to indicate like or dislike

ratio:
a comparison of quantities

raw data:
data that has been collected but not organized or analysed

rectangular prism:
a geometric figure shaped like a box with six rectangular faces

reflex angle:
an angle greater than 180° in size

regular polygon:
a polygon with equal sides and equal angles

relatively prime:
two whole numbers that have only 1 as a common factor

representative sample:
a sample that closely resembles the population

rhombus:
a parallelogram with four equal sides

right angle:
an angle 90° in size

right triangle:
a triangle that has one right angle

sample:
the part of the population surveyed

scalene triangle:
a triangle with no equal sides

second-hand data:
data that others collect

side of an angle:
an arm of an angle

simplifying a fraction:
expressing a fraction as an equivalent fraction with the least possible denominator

slide:
to move a geometric shape in a straight line without twisting or turning it

square:
a regular quadrilateral

standard form:
the decimal numeral form in which numbers are usually written

stem-and-leaf plot:
a graph that organizes and displays numerical data according to size

straight angle:
an angle 180° in size

surface area of a prism:
the sum of the areas of all its faces

survey:
the process of obtaining information from a sample

tessellate:
to cover a surface using a geometric shape without gaps or overlaps

theoretical probability:
a fraction between 0 and 1 determined by dividing the number of favourable outcomes by the total number of possible outcomes

tonne:
one thousand kilograms

trapezoid:
a quadrilateral with one pair of parallel sides

trapezoid:
a quadrilateral with two parallel sides

triad:
a group of three digits

triangle:
a three-sided polygon

triangular prism:
a prism with triangular bases

unique:
one of a kind

variable:
a letter in an algebraic expression that indicates a value that can change

vertex:
the common endpoint of two rays forming an angle

volume:
the number of cubic units needed to fill an object completely

water displacement:
a technique for finding the volume of an irregularly shaped object

weight:
a measure of the force of gravity on an object

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