MATH DICTIONARY


M

magnitude:  the magnitude of a vector is its length.

major arc:  an arc of measure greater than 180 degrees.

major axis:   the line segment connecting the two vertices that are farthest apart in an

                     ellipse.

matrix:  a table of numbers arranged in rows and columns.

maxima:  the points on a curve where the value is greater than that of the surrounding

                points.

mean:  average,  arithmetic mean.

median:   the number in a group of numbers such that there are an equal number of

                numbers in the set greater than the number as are less than the number.

midpoint:  a point, M, on a line segment, AB, such that AM = MC.

minima:  the points on a curve where the value is less than that of the surrounding points.

minor arc:  an arc on a circle that is less than 180 degrees.

minor axis:  the shortest distance across an ellipse through the center.

minute:  the unit of measure of an angle that is 1/60 of a degree.

mode:  the number that occurs most frequently in a set of data.

modulus:  the absolute value of a complex number.

monomial:  an algebraic expression that does not involve any additions or subtractions.

multiplicand:   in the equation ab = c, a and b are multiplicands.

multiplication:  the operation of repeated addition.

multiplicative identity:  the number 1 is the multiplicative identity because 1 * a = a for all

                                       a.

multiplicative inverse:  the number, b, that when multiplied by a number, a, gives a result

                                     of 1.     Reciprocal.   b = 1/a.


BACK TO BEGINNING OF MATH DICTIONARY

BACK TO THE FRONT PAGE