Math Fac-orials - Numbers, Operations, Properties

Click on the hyperlink to go a post where the term is defined in more detail:

Absolute Value:

Shows the distance from a point on a Number Line to 0. Absolute value is always positive. For example, 

Addition Terminology:



Associative Property

The property that shows that a X (b X c) = (a X b) X c

Commutative Property

The property that shows that a + b = b + a, and also that a X b = b X a

Composite Number

A number that is the product of two or more smaller whole numbers

Counting numbers

The Counting Numbers start at 1 and increase by 1 (1, 2, 3, 4,...). 

Distributive Property:

The property that shows that a x (b + c) = a x b + a x c

Division Terminology:

 

Exponential Terminology:

Factor

A counting/natural number, which when multiplied by another counting/natural number, results in a product. For instance, the factors of 6 are 1 and 6 (1 x 6) and also 2 and 3 (2 x 3).

Imaginary numbers

Real numbers multiplied by the square root of -1, which is symbolized with the letter i.

Integer numbers

The positive and negative whole numbers (...,-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3,...)

Irrational numbers

Numbers along a number line that can't be expressed as the fraction of two integers (ex. pi). 

Multiple

A counting/natural number that is the product of a given factor. For instance, some multiples of 2 are 2 (2 x 1), 4 (2 x 2), 6 (2 x 3), 8 (2 x 4), and 10 (2 x 5)

Multiplication terminology



Natural numbers

The Natural Numbers start at 1 and increase by 1 (1, 2, 3, 4,...). Sometimes this set of numbers starts at 0 (and so 0, 1, 2, 3,...). It's something that no one agrees on and so it's best to know, when this term is used, if 0 is to be included.

For the purposes of this blog, I will use Natural Numbers to mean the Counting Numbers (I'll use Natural Numbers because of its symbol N). 

Order of Operations (PEMDAS)

This is the order in which we work expressions/equations:

• P = Parentheses (also known as Brackets)
• E = Exponentials
• M = Multiplication (same weight as Division)
• D = Division (same weight as Multiplication)
• A = Addition (same weight as Subtraction)
• S = Subtraction (same weight as Addition)

Prime numbers

A whole number greater than 1 that is not the product of two or more smaller whole numbers.

Rational numbers

Numbers that can be expressed as the fraction of two integers, with the divisor being non-zero. 

Real numbers

All the numbers along a number line and is comprised of both Rational and Irrational numbers. 

Subtraction terminology:



Variable

A letter or symbol used to indicate a placeholder for either a single number or range of numbers.

Whole numbers

The counting numbers start at 1 and increase by 1 (1, 2, 3, 4,...). The Whole Numbers include 0 and the natural numbers sometimes do include 0 and sometimes don't.