Term (mathematics)

The word term is from the Latin terminus which literally means "boundary line, limit", from the Proto-Indo-European root *ter- "peg, post, boundary".

In elementary mathematics, a term is either a single number or variable, or the product of several numbers and/or variables separated from another term by a + or - sign in an overall expression. For example, in

3 + 4x + 5yzw

3, 4x, and 5yzw are all terms.

In the context of polynomials, sometimes term is used of a monomial with a coefficient: to 'collect like terms' in a polynomial is the basic operation of making it a linear combination of distinct monomials.

A series is often represented as the sum of a sequence of terms.

In general mathematical use, however, the word "term" is not limited to additive terms. Individual factors in an expression representing a product would be multiplicative terms. Indeed, individual elements of any mathematical expression may be referred to as terms.

Terms in first order logic constitute another use of the word.

[edit] Specific names for terms

addition and subtraction

• Addend
• Subtrahend and minuend are the first and second terms, respectively, in subtraction

multiplication

Factor. In a multiplication of two factors, the first is called the multiplicand and the second is called the multiplier.

divisions and fractions

The top of a division is called the numerator (or dividend), and the bottom is called the denominator (or divisor).

[edit] References

• Schwartzman, Steven (1994). The words of mathematics: An etymological dictionary of mathematical terms used in English. The Mathematical Association of America, 219. ISBN 0-88385-511-9. 

[edit] See also

• Divisor
• Expression
• Like and unlike terms

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