A–F
- AA similarity theorem
Two triangles are similar if they have two corresponding angles that are congruent.
- adjacent
- adjacent angles
Two non-overlapping angles with a common vertex and one common side.
and are adjacent angles: - alternate exterior angles
A pair of angles formed by a transversal intersecting two lines. The angles lie outside of the two lines and are on opposite sides of the transversal.
See angles made by a transversal.
- alternate interior angles
A pair of angles formed by a transversal intersecting two lines. The angles lie between the two lines and are on opposite sides of the transversal.
See also angles made by a transversal.
- altitude
Altitude of a triangle:
A perpendicular segment from a vertex to the line containing the base.
Altitude of a solid:
A perpendicular segment from a vertex to the plane containing the base.
- angle
Two rays that share a common endpoint called the vertex of the angle.
- angle bisector
A ray that has its endpoint at the vertex of the angle and divides the angle into two congruent angles.
- angle of depression/angle of elevation
Angle of depression: the angle formed by a horizontal line and the line of sight of a viewer looking down. Sometimes called the angle of decline.
Angle of elevation: the angle formed by a horizontal line and the line of sight of a viewer looking up. Sometimes called the angle of incline.
- angle of rotation
The fixed point a figure is rotated about is called the center of rotation. If one connects a point in the pre-image, the center of rotation, and the corresponding point in the image, they can see the angle of rotation. A counterclockwise rotation is a rotation in a positive direction. Clockwise is a negative rotation.
- angles made by a transversal
- asymptote
A line that a graph approaches, but does not reach. A graph will never touch a vertical asymptote, but it might cross a horizontal or an oblique (also called slant) asymptote.
Horizontal and oblique asymptotes indicate the general behavior of the ends of a graph in both positive and negative directions. If a rational function has a horizontal asymptote, it will not have an oblique asymptote.
Oblique asymptotes only occur when the numerator of
has a degree that is one higher than the degree of the denominator. - auxiliary line
An extra line or line segment drawn in a figure to help with a proof.
is an auxiliary line (added to the diagram of to help prove that the sum of the angles . - binomial
A polynomial with two terms.
- bisect (verb); bisector (noun) (midpoint)
To divide into two congruent parts.
A bisector can be a point or a line segment.