Reading Equations
x + 3 = 7
x plus three equals seven
Algebra
AL-juh-bruh /ˈæl.dʒɪ.brə/
3x + 7 = 2x − 6
x = −13
A number that can only be divided by 1 and itself
Prime number
This ancient Greek mathematician is famous for his theorem about right-angled triangles
Pythagoras
2x − 5 = 9
two x minus five equals nine
Geometry
jee-OM-uh-tree /dʒiˈɒm.ɪ.tri/
5x − 3 = 2x + 0.5
x = 7/6
The result of multiplying a number by itself
Square
This ancient Greek mathematician wrote Elements, one of the most influential geometry textbooks in history
Euclid
x² + 5x + 6 = 0
x squared plus five x plus six equals zero
Polygonal
puh-LIG-uh-nl /pəˈlɪɡ.ə.nəl/
x² − 5x + 6 = 0
x = 2 or x = 3
A function that gives the rate of change of another function
Derivative
This French mathematician and philosopher gave his name to the coordinate system used in every maths classroom
René Descartes
∫(3x² + 2x) dx = x³ + x² + C
the integral of three x squared plus two x, d x, equals x cubed plus x squared plus C
Arithmetic
uh-RITH-muh-tik /əˈrɪθ.mə.tɪk/
2x² + 3x − 2 = 0
x = ½ or x = −2
A set of elements that belong to two sets simultaneously
Intersection (A ∩ B)
This French woman worked under a male pseudonym to gain recognition and made major contributions to number theory and elasticity theory
Sophie Germain
lim (x→0) (sin x)/x = 1
the limit as x approaches zero of sine x over x equals one
Trigonometry
trig-uh-NOM-uh-tree /ˌtrɪɡ.əˈnɒm.ɪ.tri/
∫4x dx = ?
∫4x dx = 2x² + C, where C is the constant of integration.
A mapping between two sets that preserves the algebraic structure of the original set
Homomorphism
This is not a single person but a secret group of mostly French mathematicians who rewrote the foundations of modern mathematics under one collective name
Nicolas Bourbaki