Algebra I Vocabulary Cards

Absolute Value of a Real Number:

The distance a number is from zero on a number line. It is denoted as |x| and is never negative.

Algebraic Model:

A mathematical statement that represents a real life situation. They are usually written as equations or inequalities.

Base:

The number in a power that is used as a factor. The number 2 in the expression .

Coefficient:

The number multiplied times a product of variables or powers of variables in a term. For example, 123 in the term 123x3y.

Compound Inequality:

Two simple inequalities joined with and or or.

Complex Number:

The set of numbers of the form a + bi, where a and b are real numbers and i is the imaginary unit. They are made up of the real and imaginary numbers and are represented by C.

Composite Function:

A function formed by evaluating one function with another function. Given functions f and g, it can be described by [ f g ]( x) = f ( g ( x)) .

Algebra I Vocabulary Cards

Conjunction:

A compound inequality formed using and. It can also be written using two inequality symbols. The compound inequality -2 x 3 is logically equivalent to x -2 and x 3.

Constant Function:

A function of the form y = constant or f(x) = constant, such as y = 2. Its graph is a horizontal line.

Constant of Variation:

The nonzero constant (usually denoted k) in a direct variation equation (y=kx), an inverse variation equation ( ), or a joint variation equation ( ).

Constant:

A term that has no variable part in a polynomial.

Coordinate:

The number that corresponds to a point on number line.

Coordinates:

The ordered pair that corresponds to the location of a point in the coordinate plane.

Coordinate Plane:

The plane divided into four quadrants by the horizontal axis (xaxis) and the vertical axis (y-axis). It is also called the x-y plane and the Cartesian plane.

Algebra I Vocabulary Cards A method for solving simple rational equations for which each side of the equation is a single rational expression. Equal products are formed by multiplying the numerator of each expression by the denominator of the other expression. For example: yields (3x)(24) = (9)(4) which simplifies to be 72x = 36 which implies or .

Cross Multiplication:

Degree of a Polynomial:

The greatest monomial degree of the polynomial.

Direct Variation:

The relationship between two variables x and y for which there is a non-zero number k such that or y = kx.

Discriminant:

The expression

- 4ac for the quadratic equation .

Disjunction:

A compound inequality formed with the word or.

Domain:

The set of all abscissas, x-values, of the ordered pairs of a relation.

Algebra I Vocabulary Cards

Equation:

A statement in which two expressions are equal.

Equivalent Equations:

Equations that have the same solution.

Equivalent Expressions:

Algebraic expressions that have the same value for all values of their variable(s).

Evaluate:

Finding the value of an expression by substituting a specific numerical value for each variable, and simplifying the results.

Exponent:

The number in a power that represents the number of times the base is used as a factor. 5 in the expression .

Extraneous Solution:

A solution of a transformed equation that is not a valid solution of the original equation.

Factor of an Integer:

An integer which divides evenly into a given integer. For example, 8 in regard to 24.

Algebra I Vocabulary Cards

Factor of Polynomial:

A polynomial which divides evenly into another polynomial P(x). For example, x + 2 in regard to the polynomial x2 4.

Factoring:

A process used to write a polynomial as a product of other polynomials having equal or lesser degree. For Example: + 8x + 15 = (x + 3)(x + 5)

Function:

A relation with exactly one output for each input. It is a relation that can pass the vertical line test.

Function Notation:

Writing a function as an equation such as f(x) = 3x 2.

Half-planes:

The two regions of a coordinate plane that are separated by the boundary line of an inequality. One region contains the points that are solutions of the inequality, and the other region contains the points that are not.

Identity:

A statement such as 7x + 4x = 11x that equates two equivalent expressions.

Imaginary Number:

A complex number of the form a = bi where b 0 and i is the imaginary unit which represents . The set of numbers is represented by I.

Algebra I Vocabulary Cards

Index:

The number n in the expression

Inequality:

A statement containing one of the following symbols: .

Integer:

All positive and negative whole numbers (including zero). The set of numbers {-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3,}. They are represented by either Z or J.

Intercept:

The point a graph goes through an axis.

Inverse function:

The function obtained by switching the x- and y-variables in a function. It is written f -1. A relationship between two variables in which the product is a constant. When one variable increases, the other variable decreases in proportion so that their product is unchanged. It is also known as inverse variation. It can be written of the form b = k/a (where k is a constant). Real numbers that are not rational. They are numbers such as , , , , e, etc. The set of numbers are characterized by non-repeating non-terminating decimals and are represented by H.

Inversely proportional:

Irrational Numbers:

Algebra I Vocabulary Cards A variable z varies to a set of variables such that z is directly proportional to each variable taken one at a time. It is represented algebraically as y = k xn zn where x 0, z 0, and n > 0. The number in front of the variable with the greatest degree in a polynomial.

Joint Variation:

Leading Coefficient:

Like Radicals:

Two radical expressions that have the same index and the same radicand.

Like Terms:

Two monomials that have the same variable part.

Line of Best Fit:

A line used to model a set of data. It is also known as a linear regression.

Linear Equation:

An equation that can be written in the form "linear polynomial = linear polynomial" or "linear polynomial = constant".

Linear Function:

A function of the form y = mx + b where m and b are constants. The graph of the function is a line. It is also known as a first degree polynomial function.

Algebra I Vocabulary Cards An inequality that can be written in the form "linear polynomial > linear polynomial" or "linear polynomial > constant". The > sign may be replaced by <, , or .

Linear Inequality:

Mathematical Model:

A representation of a real life situation usually in the form of an equation or an inequality.

Monomial:

An expression with one term such as 7x or a constant such as 2.

Monomial Degree:

The sum of the exponents of the variables of a monomial.

Multiplicative Inverse of a Number:

It is also called the reciprocal. A reciprocal is a fraction flipped upside down. For example, 12 is for and is for .

Natural Numbers:

The numbers used for counting. That is the set of numbers {1, 2, 3, 4,}. They are represented by N.

Negative Correlation:

The relationship between paired data when y tends to decrease as x increases, as shown by a scatter plot where the plotted points generally fall from left to right.

Algebra I Vocabulary Cards

No Relative Correlation:

In a scatter plot, no relationship exists between the paired data. The points on the graph appear very random.

Nth Root:

For an integer n greater than 1, if

=a. It is written as

Numerical Expression:

An expression that consists of numbers, operations, and grouping symbols.

Opposite:

It is also called additive inverse and for any number a is a.

Ordered Pair:

A pair of numbers of the form (x,y) that represents a point in the coordinate plane.

Parallel Lines:

They are two distinct coplanar lines that do not intersect because they have the same slope. The symbol is .

Percent:

A ratio comparing a number to 100.

Algebra I Vocabulary Cards

Perpendicular Lines:

Two lines such that the product of their slopes is -1. The symbol is .

Point of Intersection:

A point (x,y) that lies on the graph of two, or more, equations.

Polynomial:

A sum or difference of monomials.

Polynomial Function:

A function y = P(x) where P(x) is a polynomial in one variable.

Positive Correlation:

The relationship between paired data when y tends to increase as x increases, as shown by a scatter plot where the plotted points generally rise from left to right.

Power:

An expression of the form

or the value of such an expression.

Quadrant:

One of the four regions into which the axes divide a coordinate plane.

Algebra I Vocabulary Cards

Quadratic Equation:

An equation in which the largest exponent on a variable is 2. Some examples are y = 3x2 5x2 + 1, x2 + 5xy + y2 = 1, and 1.6a2 + 5.9a 3.14 = 0.

Radical Expression:

A mathematical expression containing

or

Radical Sign:

The symbol

or

used to indicate square roots and nth roots.

Radicand:

The number under the (radical) symbol. It is the number that is having its square root taken (or 3rd root or 4th root or nth root). 5 in the expression .

Range of a relation:

The set of all ordinates (y-values) of the ordered pairs of a relation.

Rate of Change:

The slope of a linear function.

Ratio:

A comparison between quantities usually written as a fraction.

Algebra I Vocabulary Cards

An expression that can be written as a polynomial divided by a Rational Expression: polynomial such as: .

Real Number:

The set of numbers consisting of the positive numbers, the negative numbers, zero, and the numbers between them. They are made up of the rational and irrational numbers and are represented by a scripted R.

Reciprocal:

It is also called the multiplicative inverse and is a fraction flipped upside down. For example, 12 is for and is for .

Relation:

A mapping or pairing of input values with output values.

Root:

A solution to the equation P(x) = 0.

Scientific Notation:

The expression of a number in the form and n is an integer.

where 1a<10

Simplest Radical Form:

A radical expression which can possess all three of the following qualities: 1) the radicand is not a fraction, 2) the radicand does not contain a factor that is a perfect square, and 3) the denominator does not contain a radical.

Algebra I Vocabulary Cards

Simplest Rational Form:

A fraction in which the numerator and denominator have no . common factors other than

Slope:

The ratio of vertical change (the rise) to horizontal change (the run) for a non-vertical line given by the formula: .

Solution:

A number that, when substituted for the variable, makes the equation true. It is also called a root.

Square Root:

The number that when multiplied by itself yields a given number. For example, 3 in regard to 9 because (3)(3) = 9. The symbol is .

Standard Form of a Linear Equation:

An equation written in the form Ax + By = C where A and B are not both zero.

Standard Form of a Polynomial Function:

A function with terms written in descending order of exponents from left to right.

Standard Form of a Quadratic Equation:

The form

where a 0.

Algebra I Vocabulary Cards

System of Equations:

Two or more equations containing common variable(s).

System of Inequalities:

Two or more inequalities containing common variable(s). Note: sometimes they include equations as well as inequalities.

Term:

The monomials that add or subtract to form an expression.

Unit Price:

The cost of an item per given unit such as dollars per pound or pennies per ounce.

Unit Rate:

Expressing an amount of one quantity per unit of another quantity such as miles per gallon or dollars per pound.

Variable Expression:

An expression that contains variables, constants, grouping symbols, and operations.

Verbal Model:

An expression that uses words to describe a real life situation.

Algebra I Vocabulary Cards

Whole Number:

The positive integers together with zero. The set of numbers {0, 1, 2, 3, 4,}. They are represented by W.

x-intercept:

The x-coordinate of the point where a graph intersects the x-axis.

X-Y Plane:

The coordinate system formed by the x and y axes.

y-intercept:

The y-coordinate of the point where a graph intersects the y-axis.

Zero of a Function:

A number that names the function equal to zero. It is also an xintercept.