GLOSSARY Appendix F

Appendix F: Glossary

Conversion ratio – A ratio used to convert a unit in one measurement system to a unit in another
measurement system. Also can be used in currency conversions.
Example: One foot equals 12 inches or 1:12.

Currencies – The units of money used by different countries such as dollars, pesos, euros, yen,
and so on.

Customary Measurement System – The system of units used in the United States to measure
quantities such as length, weight, volume, area, temperature, time, and so on. (See Appendix C)

Decimal number (or simply decimal) – A mixed number which has its fractional part written in
tenths, hundredths, thousandths and so on.

whole
number decimal
part places

4 5 . 6 7 8 9 ten - thousandths
thousandths
decimal point hundredths
tenths

Decimal part – The part of a decimal number to the right of the decimal point. This is the
fractional part of a decimal number.

Decimal point – A period ( . ) that separates the whole number part of a decimal number from its
fractional part.

Decimal places – The number of digits on the right side of the decimal point.

Denominator – The bottom number in a fraction.

1
For example, the denominator in the fraction is 2.
2
The denominator represents the total number of equal-sized parts of an object or numbers
in a group.

Appendix F - 1
 Appendix F GLOSSARY

Dividend – When one number is divided by another, the first number is called the dividend.

Divisor – When one number is divided by another, the second number is called the divisor.
Quotient
Divisor ) Dividend

Equivalent fraction – A fraction derived from another fraction when the numerator and
denominator are multiplied or divided by the same number. Each of the equivalent fractions are of
equal value.
2 10
For example, and are equivalent fractions.
3 15
2 10
is derived from when the numerator and denominator are both divided by 5.
3 15

equivalent fractions

10 10 ÷ 5 2
15 15 ÷ 5 3

greatest common divisor lowest terms fraction

of 10 and 15 is 5

Equivalent ratios – Two ratios where the terms of one ratio are multiples of the other ratio.

For example, 2 : 3 = 10 : 15.

2:3
= 2x5: 3x5 Equivalent ratios
= 10 : 15

Exchange rate – The rate or price at which one currency can be exchanged for another. It is often
written as a ratio.

Fractional part – The part of a decimal number or mixed number that is less than one.

Fraction – A number used to describe part of something. When we divide something into parts,
the parts are fractions of the whole.

Appendix F - 2
 GLOSSARY Appendix F

Numerator
3
4
Denominator

Greatest common divisor (or Greatest common factor) – The largest whole number that will
divide evenly into one or more numbers. For example, the greatest common divisor of 12 and 18
is 6.

International Metric System – A decimal system of measurement used by most of the countries
in the world. (See Appendix D)

Lowest terms – A fraction is in lowest terms when its numerator and denominator cannot be
divided evenly by any whole number larger than 1.
12 2
For example, can be reduced to the lowest terms fraction .
18 3
Mixed number (or mixed fraction) – A number that is part whole number and part fraction.
7
For example, 2 or 2.7.
10

mixed number or mixed fraction

3
2
4

whole number part fractional part

Numerator – The top number in a fraction.

3
For example, the numerator in the fraction is 3.
4
It represents the part of the total number that you are interested in.

Percent – A fraction of 100. The percent sign (%) after a number means that the number is a
percent. The number is the numerator of a fraction that always has a denominator of 100.
37
For example: 37% means .
100
Percentage – An alternative term for percent.

Appendix F - 3
 Appendix F GLOSSARY

Product – When two numbers are multiplied the answer is called the product.

Proportional or in proportion – Two ratios that are equivalent ratios are said to be proportional.

For example, 2 : 3 is proportional to 20 : 30

Quotient – When one number is divided by another number, the result, or answer, is the quotient.

Ratio – A pair of numbers, called the first and second terms, separated by a colon ( : ), that
compares the size of two things. A ratio indicates the relative sizes of two things.

Reduce – The process of dividing the numerator and the denominator of a fraction or ratio by the
same number. See Lowest terms.

Repeating decimal – A decimal number that has the same digit or sequence of digits repeated
over and over again. A bar is written over the repeating digit(s) or sometimes three dots are used
to follow the repeating digit(s).

For example, 5.3 = 5.333333333. . .

2.14 = 2.141414141 . . .

Rounding – A number has been rounded when the decimal places to the right of a certain place
have been removed. Numbers can be rounded to the nearest whole number, nearest tenth,
nearest hundredth and so on.

Unit price – The price for 1 unit of something. Multiply the unit price by the number of units to find
the total price or total cost.

Whole number – The counting numbers including zero:

0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, . . .

Whole number part – The part of a decimal number that is to the left of the decimal point.

Appendix F - 4