Maths Terms for 11-13 Yr Olds

A measure of the slope of a line. On a coordinate plane, the gradient of the line through the points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) is defined as (y2 - y1) / (x2 - x1).

The gradient may be positive, negative or zero depending on the values of the co-ordinates. In a straight line graph of the form y = mx+c, m represents the gradient.

The common factor of two or more numbers which has the highest value. Example: 16 has factors 1, 2, 4, 8, 16. 24 has factors 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24.

56 has factors 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 14, 28, 56. The common factors of 16, 24 and 56 are 1, 2, 4 and 8. Their highest common factor is 8.

An improper fraction has a numerator that is greater than its denominator. Example: 9/4 is improper and could be expressed as the mixed number 2 1/4.

Any of the positive or negative whole numbers and zero. Examples: -2, -1, 0, +1, +2. As opposed to decimal numbers.

The value of the non-zero coordinate of the point where a line on a graph cuts an axis. The y intercept is given the symbol c in straight line graphs of the form y = mx + c.

Operations that, when they are combined, leave the entity on which they operate unchanged. Examples: addition and subtraction are inverse operations e.g. 5 + 6 - 6 = 5. Multiplication and division are inverse operations e.g. 6 × 10 / 10 = 6.

Some operations, such as reflection in the x-axis, are self-inverse.

A number that is not an integer and cannot be expressed as a common fraction with a non-zero denominator. Real irrational numbers, when expressed as decimals, are infinite, nonrecurring decimals.

Examples: the square root of three. Pi is also an irrational number.

In algebra, an adjective describing an expression, equation or relationship of degree one. Example: 2x + 3y = 7 is a linear equation. This linear equation with its two variables, x and y, can be represented as a straight line graph. The relationship between x and y is linear.

The common multiple of two or more numbers which has the lowest value. Example: 3 has the multiples 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, etc. 4 has the multiples 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24... and 6 has the multiples 6, 12, 18, 24, 30... 

The common multiples of 3, 4 and 6 include 12, 24 and 36. So the lowest common multiple of 3, 4 and 6 is 12.

The name for the symbol -, which represents the operation of subtraction.