n Dimensions n-Dimensional

The property of a space indicating that n mutually perpendicular directions of motion are
possible.
Formally, saying a "space" has n dimensions means that you can find n vectorsin the
"space" for which none is a linear combination of the others. In addition, in any set of n +
1 vectors one of them can be written as a linear combination of the other n vectors.

Natural Domain
Alternate terms for domain used to make it clear that the domain being referred to is not
a restricted domain.

Natural Logarithm
The logarithm base e of a number. That is, the power of e necessary to equal a given
number. The natural logarithm of x is written ln x. For example, ln 8 is 2.0794415... since
e2.0794415... = 8.

Natural Numbers Counting Numbers

The numbers used for counting. That is, the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.

Negative Direction
A way of describing the scatterplot of negatively associated data.

Negative Exponents
Negative exponents are a way of indicating reciprocals.

Negative Number
A real number less than zero. Zero itself is neither negative nor positive.

Negative Reciprocal Opposite Reciprocal

The result of taking the reciprocal of a number and then changing the sign. For example,
the negative reciprocal of 5 is , and the negative reciprocal of is .
Note: Perpendicular lines have slopes that are negative reciprocals of each other.

Negatively Associated Data

A relationship in paired data in which one variable's values tend to increase when the
other decreases, and vice-versa. In a scatterplot, negatively associated data tend to
follow a pattern from the upper left to the lower right. Negatively associated data have a
negative correlation coefficient.

Neighborhood
A neighborhood of a number a is any open interval containing a. One common notation
for a neighborhood of a is {x: |x a| < }. Using interval notation this would be (a , a
+ ).

Newton's Method
An iterative process using derivatives that can often (but not always) be used to find
zeros of a differentiable function. The basic idea is to start with an approximate guess
for the zero, then use the formula below to turn that guess into a better approximation.
This process is repeated until, after only a few steps, the approximation is extremely
close to the actual value of the zero.
Note: In some circumstances, Newton's method backfires and gives successively worse
and worse approximations.

n-gon
A polygon with n sides. For example, an 8-gon is another name

No Slope
The "slope" of a vertical line. A vertical line has undefined slope because all points on
the line have the same x-coordinate. As a result the formula used for slope has a
denominator of 0, which makes the slope undefined..
Non-Adjacent
Not next to.

Nonagon
A polygon with nine sides.

Noncollinear
Points that do not all lie on a single line.

Non-Convex
A shape or solid which has an indentation or "cave". Formally, a geometric figure is
concave if there is at least one line segment connecting interior pointswhich passes
outside of the figure.

Non-Euclidean Geometry
Any system of geometry in which the parallel postulate does not hold. Two commonly
studied non-Euclidean geometries are hyperbolic geometry and elliptic geometry. Elliptic
geometry is also known as Riemannian geometry.

Noninvertible Matrix
A square matrix which does not have an inverse. A matrix is singular if and only if its
determinant is zero.

Nonnegative
Not negative. That is, greater than or equal to zero.

Nonnegative Integers
The numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.

Non-Overlapping Sets
Two or more sets which have no elements in common. For example, the sets A = {a,b,c}
and B = {d,e,f} are disjoint.

Nonreal Numbers
The complex numbers that are not real. That is, the complex numbers with a nontrivial
imaginary part.
For example, 3 + 2i is nonreal, 2i is nonreal, but 3 is real.
Nonsingular Matrix
A square matrix which has an inverse. A matrix is nonsingular if and only if its
determinant does not equal zero.

Nontrivial
A solution or example that is not trivial. Often, solutions or examples involving the
number zero are considered trivial. Nonzero solutions or examples are considered
nontrivial.
For example, the equation x + 5y = 0 has the trivial solution (0, 0). Nontrivial solutions
include (5, 1) and (2, 0.4).

Nonzero
Not equal to zero.

A nonzero matrix is a matrix that has at least one nonzero element. A nonzerovector is
a vector with magnitude not equal to zero.

Norm of a Partition
The width of the largest sub-interval in a partition.

Norm of a Vector
The length of a vector.

Normalizing a Vector
For a given vector, the process of finding a unit vector which is parallel to it. This is done
by dividing the given vector by its magnitude.

Oblate Spheroid
A flattened sphere. More formally, an oblate spheroid is a surface of
revolution obtained by revolving an ellipse about its minor axis.

Note: The earth is shaped like an oblate spheroid.

Oblique
Tilted at an angle; neither vertical nor horizontal.

Oblique Asymptote
Tilted Asymptote
A linear asymptote that is neither horizontal nor vertical.
Note: Oblique asymptotes always occur for rational functions which have a
numerator polynomial that is one degree higher than the denominator
polynomial.

Oblique Cone
A cone with an apex that is not aligned above the center of the base

Oblique Cylinder
A cylinder with bases that are not aligned one directly above the other

Oblique Prism
A prism with bases that are not aligned one directly above the other. Note: The lateral
faces of an oblique prism are parallelograms.

Oblique Pyramid
A pyramid with an apex that is not aligned above the center of the base.

Obtuse Angle
An angle that has measure more than 90 and less than 180

Obtuse Triangle
A triangle which has an obtuse angle as one of its interior angles.

Obtuse Triangle
A triangle which has an obtuse angle as one of its interior angles.

Octahedron
Regular Octahedron
A polyhedron with eight faces. A regular octahedron has faces that are all
equilateral triangles. A regular octahedron looks like it was made by gluing
together the bases of two square-based pyramids.
Note: It is one of the five platonic solids

Octants
The eight regions into which three dimensional space is divided by the x-, y-, and z-axes.
Odd/Even Identities
Plus/Minus Identities
Trig identities which show whether each trig function is an odd function or an even function

Odd Function
A function with a graph that is symmetric with respect to the origin. A function is odd if and
only if f(x) = f(x).

Odd Number

An integer that is not a multiple of 2. The odd numbers are { . . . , 3, 1, 1, 3, 5, . . . }.

Odds
A way of representing the likelihood of an event's occurrence. Odds is often short for odds
against

Odds Against
Odds m:n (read aloud "m to n") against an event mean we expect the event will not to
occur m times for every n times it does occur.

Odds in Favor
Odds m:n (read aloud "m to n") in favor of an event mean we expect the event will occur m times
for every n times it does not occur.
Odds in Gambling
A way of representing gambling payoffs of an event by a method similar to odds against. If the
gambling odds are m:n (read aloud "m to n"), then a bet of n dollars pays m dollars profit if the
bettor wins.
Note: Gambling odds are not probabilities. See odds in favor.
Greek Alphabet
The letters of ancient Greece, which are frequently used in math and science.

alpha

nu

beta
gamma
delta
epsilon
zeta

xi
omicron
pi
rho
sigma

eta
theta
iota
kappa
lambda
mu

tau
upsilon
phi
chi
psi
omega

One Dimension
One Dimensional
The property of a line which indicates that motion (forward or backward) can take place in
only one direction.
Formally, saying a line has one dimension means that you can find a nonzero vector on the
line. In addition, for any set of two vectors on the line one must be a multiple of the other.

One-Sided Limit
Either a limit from the left or a limit from the right.

One-to-One Function
A function for which every element of the range of the function corresponds to exactly
one element of the domain. One-to-one is often written 1-1.
Note: y = f(x) is a function if it passes the vertical line test. It is a 1-1 function if it
passes both the vertical line test and thehorizontal line test. Another way of testing
whether a function is 1-1 is given below.

Open Interval
An interval that does not contain its endpoints.

Function Operations
Definitions for combining functions by adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing,
and composing them.

Opposite Reciprocal
The result of taking the reciprocal of a number and then changing the sign. For
example, the negative reciprocal of 5 is

, and the negative reciprocal of

is .

Note: Perpendicular lines have slopes that are negative reciprocals of each other.

Order of a Differential Equation

The number of the highest derivative in a differential equation. A differential equation of
order 1 is called first order, order 2second order, etc.

Example: The differential equation y" + xy' x3y = sin x is second order
since the highest derivative is y" or the second derivative.

Ordered Pair
Ordered Triple
n-tuple
On the coordinate plane, the pair of numbers giving the location of a point (ordered
pair). In three-dimensional coordinates, the triple of numbers giving the location of a
point (ordered triple). In n-dimensional space, a sequence of n numbers written in
parentheses.

Ordered Two numbers written in the form (x, y).

pair:
Ordered Three numbers written in the form (x, y, z).
triple:
n-tuple: n numbers written in the form (x1, x2, x3, . . . , xn).
p-series

A series of the form

or
, where p > 0. Often
employed when using the comparison test and thelimit comparison test.
Note: The harmonic series is a p-series with p =1.

Paired Data
Data that occurs in ordered pairs.

Pappuss Theorem
Theorem of Pappus
A method for finding the volume of a solid of revolution. The volume equals the product of
the area of the region being rotated times the distance traveled by the centroid of the region
in one rotation.

Parabola

A u-shaped curve with certain specific properties. Formally, a parabola is defined as

follows: For a given point, called the focus, and a given line not through the focus, called
the directrix, a parabola is the locus of points such that the distance to the focus equals the
distance to the directrix.
Note: It is a common error to call any u-shaped curve a parabola. A parabola must satisfy
the conditions listed above, and a parabola always has a quadratic equation.

Parallel Cross Sections

The formula below gives the volume of a solid. A(x) is the formula for the area of parallel crosssections over the entire length of the solid.
Note: The disk method and the washer method are both derived from this formula.

Parallel Lines
Two distinct coplanar lines that do not intersect. Note: Parallel lines have the same slope.

Parallel Planes
Two distinct planes that do not intersect.

Parallel Postulate
The assumption that, given a point P and a line m not through P, there is exactly one line passing
through P that is parallel to m.

Parallelepiped
A polyhedron with six faces, all of which are parallelograms.

Parallelogram
A quadrilateral with two pairs of parallel sides.

Parameter (algebra)
The independent variable or variables in a set of parametric equations.

Parametric Derivative Formulas

The formulas for the first derivative and second derivative of a parametrically defined curve are
given below.

Parametric Equations
A system of equations with more than one dependent variable. Often parametric equations
are used to represent the position of a moving point.

Parametric Integral Formula

The area between the x-axis and the graph of x = x(t), y = y(t) and the x-axis is given by
the definite integralbelow. This formula gives a positive result for a graph above the x-axis,
and a negative result for a graph below the x-axis.
Note: If the graph of x = x(t), y = y(t) is partly above and partly below the x-axis, the
formula given below generates the net area. That is, the area above the axis minus the area
below the axis.

Parametrize
To write in terms of parametric equations.
Example:
The line x + y = 2 can be parametrized as x = 1 + t, y = 1 t.

Parent Functions
Toolkit Functions
A set of basic functions used as building blocks for more complicated functions. The list of
parent functions varies. A typical set of functions is listed below.

Parentheses
The symbols ( and ). Singular: parenthesis
Partial Derivative
A derivative of a function that has more than one independent variable. Partial
derivatives are found by treating one independent variable as a variable and the rest
as constants.

Partial Differential Equation

A differential equation that contains at least one partial derivative.

Partial Fractions
The process of writing any proper rational expression as a sum of proper rational
expressions. This method is use in integration as shown below.
Note: Improper rational expressions can also be rewritten using partial fractions. You must,
however, usepolynomial long division first before finding a partial fractions representation.

Partial Sum of a Series

The sum of a finite number of terms of a series.

Partition of an Interval
A division of an interval into a finite number of sub-intervals. Specifically, the partition
itself is the set of endpoints of each of the sub-intervals.

Partition of a Positive Integer

Rewriting a positive integer as the sum of smaller positive integers.

Partition of a Set
A collection of disjoint subsets of a given set. The union of the subsets must equal the entire
original set.
For example, one possible partition of {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6} is {1, 3}, {2}, {4, 5, 6}

Pascal's Triangle
The figure below, extended infinitely. A particular entry is found by adding the two
numbers that are above and on either side of the element. Note: The numbers which
make up Pascal's triangle are called binomial coefficients.

Pascal's Triangle
Note that the sum of any
twoadjacent elements in
a rowcan be found between
them on the next row. Each
row begins and ends with 1.

etc.

Pentagon
A polygon with five sides.

Pentagon

Regular Pentagon

Per Annum
Per year. For example, 5% per annum means 5% per year.

Percentile
The pth percentile of a set of data is the number such that p% of the data is less than that
number. For example, a student whose SAT score is in the 78th percentile has scored higher
than 78% of the students taking the test.

Note: The median is the 50th percentile.

Perfect Number
A number n for which the sum of all the positive integer factors of n which are less
than n add up to n.
For example, 6 and 28 are perfect numbers. The number 6 has factors 1, 2, and 3, and
1 + 2 + 3 = 6. The number 28 has factors 1, 2, 4, 7, and 14, and 1 + 2 + 4 + 7 + 14 = 28.

Perfect SquareAny number that is the square of a rational number. For example, 0, 1,
4, 9, 16, 25, etc. are all perfect squares. So are

and .