Basic Math Concepts: A Study Guide
1. Numbers and Operations
- Natural Numbers: Counting numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.).
- Whole Numbers: Natural numbers including 0 (0, 1, 2, 3, etc.).
- Integers: Whole numbers and their negatives (... -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, etc.).
- Rational Numbers: Numbers that can be written as fractions (e.g., 1/2, 3/4).
- Irrational Numbers: Numbers that cannot be written as simple fractions (e.g., pi, sqrt(2)).
2. Basic Operations
- Addition (+): Combining two or more quantities.
- Subtraction (-): Finding the difference between quantities.
- Multiplication (x): Repeated addition of the same number.
- Division (/): Splitting a number into equal parts.
3. Properties of Operations
- Commutative Property:
- - Addition: a + b = b + a
- - Multiplication: a x b = b x a
- Associative Property:
- - Addition: (a + b) + c = a + (b + c)
- - Multiplication: (a x b) x c = a x (b x c)
- Distributive Property: a x (b + c) = (a x b) + (a x c)
4. Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages
- Fractions: Part of a whole, written as numerator/denominator (e.g., 1/2).
- Decimals: A fractional number in the base-10 system (e.g., 0.5, 0.75).
- Percentages: A fraction with a denominator of 100, symbolized by % (e.g., 50% = 0.5).
5. Basic Algebra
- Variables: Symbols (usually letters) that represent unknown values.
- Expressions: Mathematical phrases combining numbers, variables, and operations (e.g., 3x + 2).
- Equations: Statements where two expressions are equal (e.g., 3x + 2 = 11).
6. Geometry Basics
- Point: An exact location in space.
- Line: A straight path extending in both directions.
- Plane: A flat surface extending infinitely in all directions.
- Angles:
- - Acute: Less than 90 degrees
- - Right: Exactly 90 degrees
- - Obtuse: More than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees
- - Straight: Exactly 180 degrees
7. Measurement and Units
- Length: Measured in units like meters (m), centimeters (cm), inches (in).
- Area: Measured in square units (e.g., cm^2, m^2).
- Volume: Measured in cubic units (e.g., cm^3, m^3).
- Time: Seconds (s), minutes (min), hours (h).
