English For Mathematics

The PERPENDICULAR distance from the

BASE of a figure to the opposite VERTEX. The

altitude is also called the height. A triangle

has three altitudes. Any side can be

considered the base.

Examples:
h is the altitude.
vertex

Practice: Draw the

altitude to the side
marked b.

1)
h

b
2)

vertex

The amount of surface inside a plane figure.

Area is measured in square units.
The formulas is:
RECTANGLE : Area A = lw,
Where l = length
And w = width.

Examples:

Geometric figures where any line segment connecting two points is inside the
figure. Compare CONCAVE.
Examples:

Definition: A system in which graphs with geometric figures are represented by equations.
(It is also called analytic geometry.)
Example :
1.

2.

The graph of the equationy = x + 2 is a straight line:

Point A has the COORDINATES (1,3) and satisfies the
equation, i.e. 3 = 1 + 2. Point B has the coordinates (0,2)
and satisfies the equation, i.e. 2 = 0 + 2.

An equation in x and y has a straight line as a graph when the exponents

of bothx andy equal 1 (and are therefore not written out). When the
exponent of either x ory (or both) is equal to 2 or more, the graph is a
curve.
The graph of the equation y = x2 is a curve (parabola):
Point A has the coordinates (-2,4) and satisfies the equation, i.e. 4 = (-2)2.
Point B has the coordinates (-1,l) and satisfies the equation, i.e. 1 = (-1)2.
Point C has the coordinates (0,O) and satisfies the equation, i.e. 0 = 02.
Point D has the coordinates (1,l) and satisfies the equation, i.e. 1 = 12.
Point E has the coordinates (2,4) and satisfies the equation, i.e. 4 = (2)2.

Example:

.... Is the diagonal

Definition: The distance across a CIRCLE through its center. The diameter
is twice the RADIUS. All of the straight dotted lines in the
figure are diameters.

A line segment that separates the FACES of a solid figure.

Example:

EDGE

A cube has 12 edges.

A triangle with equal sides. All angles are 60.

Example: If the PERIMETER of an equilateral triangle is 30
cm, all sides are 10 cm. (30+3=10)

The largest side in a right (90") triangle. It is across

from the right angle. See also the PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM.

Example:

Slide c is the hypotenuse

ANGLE: An angle inside a

circle with its
VERTEX on the
circle. Its sides are
CHORDS.

FIGURE: A polygon inside

a circle with all its
VERTICES onthe
circle.

The inside of a geometric figure.

Example:

Interior

A triangle with two equal sides.

Example:

In triangle ABC, the sides a and b are equal. The angles A

and B are also equal.

The total distance along a line. The basic unit of length in the
METRIC SYSTEM is the meter. One meter is a little longer a yard.
Example:
1,5 cm

3 cm

The length is 3 cm.

An infinite collection of points. A line has direction but

neither a beginning nor an end.
Example :
1) Line

2) A Horizontal Line

Part of a line with a beginning and an end.

Symbol: - (a bar above the points defining the beginning and end
of the line segment)
Example :
is a line segment. is a line.
A

AB is the length of the line segment.

A point that divides a LINE SEGMENT into two

equal parts.
Example :

B is the midpount between A and C ,

provided that AB = BC.

Definition: The distance round the edge of a plane figure.

Example:

In

w
l

The perimeter
1 P = l + w + I + w =21+2w.

The perimeter of a circle is called the circumference.

The distance from the center of a circle to any point on

its circumference. The plural of radius is radius.
Example :

Of a line:
A piece of a straight line with
a beginning and an end.

Of a circle:
A part of a circle that is
bordered by a chord and the
arc, which is formed by the
chord.

Semicircle is a half-circle.

Geometric figures with the same shape

but with different size.
Example :

The ratio between corresponding sides in similar

figures.
Example:

A line that touches a curve at one point. Tangent

also means the ratio of the legs of a right triangle.
Examples:

TRAPEZOID
A four-sided figure with one
set of parallel sides.

TRIANGLE
A three-sided figure.

The extent of space occupied by a solid, a liquid or a gas. Volume

of a solid is measured in cubic length units. Volume of a liquid or a gas is
measured in cubic liquid units. See the METRIC SYSTEM.

Example :
1.

The volume of a box is measured aslength x width x height.

2.

The volume of a bottle of water is measured in liters.

3.

The volume of a propane tank is measured in gallons

The force by which an object is attracted by the

Earth. Mass and weight are used interchangeably in
everyday 1anguage.

Example:
The weight of a
person
is measured on a
scale
in units of pounds
or kilograms.

A LINE SEGMENT (part of a straight line) that joins

two points on a curve.
Example:

A geometric figure that is drawn exactly around

another geometric figure. The figures involved are usually
one circle and one POLYGON, such as a triangle or a square.
Com- pare with INSCRIBED.
Example:

Parts of geometric figures that have the same

position within each figure.
Symbol:
Example:

In geometry:
Definition: A solid (three-dimensional) figure with six square FACES.
Examples:
1.

The volume of a cube with a 2-cm side is (2 ~m)~ = Z3 cm3 = 8 cm3

2. Each face of the cube in Example 1 has an area of 22 cm2 = 4cm2.

VERTICAL
ANGLES
Angles that are opposite of
each other when two lines
intersect.

VERTICAL
LINES
Lines that are
PERPENDICULAR (at right
angle) to the horizon or the
ground. The equation of a
vertical line is x = a,where a
is a real number (usually an
integer).

HEPTAGON
A POLYGON (many-sided
plane figure) with seven
sides.
Example:

HEXAGON
A POLYGON (many-sided
plane figure) with six sides. All
sides of a regular hexagon are
equal.
Example :

A image of a figure. See

also AXIS

A point that is common to two

lines in an angle or a polygon.
The plural form of vertex is
vertices. An angle has one
vertex, a triangle has three
vertices and a square has four
vertices.