Course Glossary
absolute value function:
a function of the form y = |f(x)|, obtained by taking
the absolute value of the function y = f(x)
amount:
the total value of an investment, including the principal and the interest
amplitude:
half the difference between the maximum and the minimum values of a periodic
function
area:
the size of a surface measured in square units
arithmetic sequence:
a sequence for which the difference between successive terms is constant
arithmetic series:
the sum of the terms of an arithmetic sequence
axis of symmetry:
a line in which the two halves of a curve reflect into each other
bell curve:
the normal curve
Bernoulli experiment:
an experiment consisting of Bernoulli trials
Bernoulli trial:
an event that has only two possible outcomes:
success and failure
binomial distribution:
a distribution of probabilities for Bernoulli trials
binomial experiment:
a Bernoulli experiment
Binomial Theorem:
a theorem used to determine the expansion of the power of a binomial
binomial trial:
a Bernoulli trial
central axis:
the axis of symmetry of a right-circular cone
centre:
the intersection of the axes of symmetry in an ellipse or hyperbola
certain event:
an event that always occurs
circle:
the conic produced by slicing a right-circular cone at right angles to its
central axis
combination:
a selection of all or part of a set of objects, where the order of the
selection is not important
combinatorics:
the branch of mathematics that includes the study of permutations and
combinations
common difference:
a constant that is added to each term to produce an arithmetic sequence
common logarithm:
a base-10 logarithm
common ratio:
a constant that is multiplied to each term to produce a geometric sequence
complementary event:
written 
, an event consisting of all the outcomes in the sample space
not in event A
conic section:
a curve produced when a plane intersects a right-circular cone
conjugate axis:
the axis of symmetry perpendicular to the transverse axis of a hyperbola
convergent sequence:
a sequence in which the difference between two consecutive terms is equal to
zero when n is large
convergent series:
a series in which the sum is finite
coterminal angles:
angles in standard position with the same initial arm and terminal arm
degenerate conic section:
a point, line, or pair of lines that arise as a limiting form of a conic
dependent event:
an event that is affected by the occurrence of other events
divergent series:
a series that is not convergent
double-napped cone:
two identical but opposite cones that share a common vertex
doubling time:
the time it takes for a population to double
ellipse:
a conic produced by stretching or compressing a circle along an axis of
symmetry
event:
a set of outcomes of an experiment; a subset of a sample space
experiment:
an action that has measurable or quantifiable results
explicit formula:
a formula for the nth term of a sequence, written as an expression of
n
exponential equation:
an equation in which the variable occurs in an exponent
exponential function:
a function of the form y = Abx, where
A is a non-zero constant and b > 0 and b ≠ 1
exponential growth:
growth that can be modelled by an exponential function
factorial notation:
the notation, n!, used to represent the product of the first n
natural numbers
favourable outcomes:
the elements that comprise an event
finite sequence:
a sequence that has a last term
Fundamental Counting Principle:
the principle for determining the number of ways two or more operations can
be performed together
If one operation can be performed in m ways and a second in n
ways, together they can be performed in mn ways.
general form:
a second-degree equation written as Ax2 + Bxy +
Cy2 + Dx + Ey + F = 0, where at least one
of A, B, and C is a non-zero
general solution:
the set of all solutions in the domain of the trigonometric function
appearing in the equation
general term:
a function that describes all terms in a sequence
generation time:
doubling time
generator:
a line that sweeps out a surface, such as a cylinder or a right-circular
cone, when rotated
geometric means:
the terms between any two terms of a geometric sequence
geometric sequence:
a sequence in which the ratio of successive terms is constant
geometric series:
the sum of the terms of a geometric sequence
half-life:
the time it takes for a radioactive substance to decay to one-half its
original amount
hyperbola:
the conic produced by slicing a right-circular cone parallel to its axis or
at an angle to the axis less than the angle of the generator
identity:
an equation that is true for all values of the variable for which both sides
of the equation are defined
identity:
a statement of equality that is true for all values of the variable for
which each part of the equality is defined
impossible event:
an event that never occurs
independent event:
an event that is not affected by the occurrence of other events
infinite sequence:
a sequence that has no last term
e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, …
infinite series:
a series that has no last term
e.g., 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + …
initial arm:
for an angle in standard position, the arm along the positive x-axis
logarithm:
the exponent to which it is necessary to raise a positive base in order to
represent a given number
logarithmic equation:
an equation in which the variable occurs as part of a logarithm
logarithmic function:
a function of the form y = logb x, where
b ≠ 1 and b > 0
major axis:
the longer axis of symmetry in an ellipse
mean:
the average obtained by dividing the sum of the data by the number of data
in the set
minor axis:
the shorter axis of symmetry in an ellipse
mutually exclusive events:
events that cannot occur at the same time; events with no outcomes in common
natural logarithm:
a base-e logarithm
negative angle:
an angle in standard position swept out by a clockwise rotation of its
terminal arm
normal curve:
the graph of a normal distribution
normal distribution:
a distribution of a set of data defined in terms of the mean and standard
deviation
outcome:
the result of a trial of an experiment; an element of a sample space
parabola:
the conic produced by slicing a right-circular cone parallel to one of its
generators
parameter:
in an expression, a letter representing a constant that can be varied to
produce other cases
partial sums:
the sum of one or more consecutive terms of a sequence
Pascal's triangle:
the triangular arrangement of numbers, where 1 is in the first row and each
number in the succeeding rows is the sum of the two numbers above it in the
preceding row
pathway problem:
a problem involving the number of ways of going from one point to another
per annum:
per year, denoted by "/a"
period:
the smallest interval of the domain over which a periodic function repeats
its values
periodic function:
a function that repeats its values over a particular interval of its domain
permutation:
an arrangement of all or part of a set of objects, where the order of the
arrangement is important
phase shift:
a horizontal translation of a periodic function
point circle:
a circle of radius zero
positive angle:
an angle in standard position swept out by a counterclockwise rotation of
its terminal arm
principal angle:
the smallest positive angle coterminal with an angle in standard position
principal:
the value of the money invested or borrowed
probability distribution:
a distribution of probabilities across the outcomes of an experiment
probability of an event:
the number of favourable outcomes divided by the total number of outcomes in
the sample space
probability tree:
a tree diagram that includes probabilities
probability:
the study of chance and uncertainty
radian:
a unit of angular measure determined by the size of a circle's central angle
subtended by an arc the same length as the radius
reciprocal function:
a function of the form 
obtained by taking
the reciprocal of the function y = f(x)
recursive formula:
a formula used to define terms of a sequence by relating them to previous
terms of the sequence
reference angle:
the acute angle formed by the terminal arm of an angle in standard position
and the x-axis
reflection:
an image produced as if in a mirror
right-circular cone:
a cone with a circular base and a central axis that meets the base at right
angles
sample space:
the entire set of outcomes possible
sequence:
a set or list of numbers arranged in a definite order
A sequence is a function whose domain is a subset of the natural
numbers, N, and whose range is a subset of the real numbers, R. The sequence
itself shows the range of the function.
series:
the sum of the terms of a sequence
sigma:
a Greek letter, Σ, used as a summation symbol
sinusoidal:
shaped like a sine curve
standard deviation:
the extent to which data differs from the mean
standard form of a hyperbola:
the equation of a hyperbola written in the form
standard form of a parabola:
the equation of a parabola written in the form y - k =
a(x - h)2 or x - h =
a(y - k)2
standard form of an ellipse:
the equation of an ellipse written in the form
standard form:
completed-square form
For example, the standard form of a circle is (x - h)2 +
(y - k)2 = r2.
standard normal distribution:
the normal distribution with a mean of 0 and a standard deviation of 1
standard position:
the location of an angle in the plane in which the vertex is at the origin,
the initial arm lies along the positive x-axis, and the terminal arm is free to
rotate
step function:
a function whose graph increases in discrete amounts and is constant between
increments
stretch:
an expansion or compression of a graph
term:
a number in a sequence
The first term may be denoted as "a" or
"t1."
terminal arm:
for an angle in standard position, the arm that is free to rotate
transformation:
a change in the equation and the graph of a function
translation:
a transformation that produces a horizontal or vertical shift without
rotation
transverse axis:
the axis of symmetry joining the vertices of a hyperbola
tree diagram:
a diagram used to illustrate the number of ways several related tasks can be
performed
trigonometric identity:
an identity that contains at least one trigonometric function
Venn diagram:
a diagram that uses overlapping circles in a rectangle to illustrate
relationships among sets
vertices of a hyperbola:
the endpoints of the transverse axis
vertices of an ellipse:
the endpoints of the major axis
z-score:
the number of standard deviations a data value, x, lies from the mean
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©2006 Alberta Learning