Math Topic Definitions, Examples, and Formulas (with Practice Questions):

Here's a breakdown of each topic with definitions, examples, formulas (where

applicable), and 3 practice questions to test your understanding.

1. Algebra:

 Definition: A branch of mathematics using symbols (variables) to represent unknown

quantities and perform operations on them. It focuses on solving equations and
inequalities, manipulating expressions, and working with functions.
 Example: Solve the equation "2x + 5 = 11" to find x. (x = 3)
 Formula: Distance = Rate x Time (d = rt) (This is one example, formulas vary
depending on the specific concept)
 Practice Questions:
1. Simplify the expression: 3a + 2b - a
2. Find the slope of the line that passes through points (2, 4) and (5, 8)
3. John needs to paint a rectangular wall that is 8 feet wide and 10 feet tall. What is the
area he needs to paint?

2. Relations, Functions and Graphs:

 Definition: A relation pairs elements from one set to another. A function is a special
type of relation where each input has exactly one output. We can represent relations
and functions visually using graphs.
 Example: Knowing someone's shoe size (input) and their height (output) is a relation.
Assigning a letter grade (output) based on a test score (input) is a function.
 Formula: No specific formula, but slope-intercept form for linear functions (y = mx
+ b) is commonly used.
 Practice Questions:
1. Identify if the following relation is a function: {(1, 2), (2, 3), (2, 4)}
2. The graph of a function shows a straight line with a positive slope. What does this
imply about the relationship between the input and output values?
3. The equation of a linear function is y = 3x - 1. What is the output (y-value) when the
input (x) is 2?

3. Measurement and Geometry:

 Definition: This branch deals with measuring lengths, areas, volumes, and angles. It
also studies geometric shapes like lines, points, circles, triangles, and their properties
(similarity, congruence).
 Example: Calculating the area of a rectangle (length x width), finding the volume of
a cube (side x side x side), determining if two triangles have the same angles and side
lengths (congruent).
 Formula: Area of a rectangle = length x width (A = lw), Volume of a cube = side^3
(V = s^3)
 Practice Questions:
1. A square has a side length of 5 cm. What is the perimeter of the square?
2. A circle has a diameter of 10 cm. What is the radius of the circle?
3. Two triangles have all corresponding angles equal. What can you conclude about
these triangles?

4. Trigonometry:

 Definition: This branch focuses on the relationship between angles and sides in right
triangles. It uses trigonometric ratios (sine, cosine, tangent) to solve for missing sides
or angles.
 Example: Finding the height of a flagpole if you know the distance from the base and
the angle the pole makes with the ground (using sine).
 Formula: Sine (sin) = opposite side / hypotenuse, Cosine (cos) = adjacent side /
hypotenuse, Tangent (tan) = opposite side / adjacent side
 Practice Questions:
1. In a right triangle, the hypotenuse is 13 and the opposite side is 12. What is the cosine
(cos) of the angle opposite the 12-unit side?
2. A ladder is leaning against a wall, forming a right angle with the ground. The ladder is
10 feet long and makes a 60-degree angle with the ground. How far up the wall does
the ladder reach (distance along the wall)?
3. An isosceles right triangle has two congruent legs (equal length). If each leg measures
5 units, what is the length of the hypotenuse?

5. Statistics:

 Definition: This field deals with collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and presenting
data. It uses measures like average, median, mode to summarize data, and explores
how spread out the data is (using terms like variance and standard deviation). It also
studies probability, the chance of an event happening.
 Example: Calculating the average test score in a class, analyzing survey results to see
if people prefer cats or dogs, determining the probability of rolling a specific number
on a die.
 Formula: Mean (average) = sum of all values / number of values, Median = middle
value when data is ordered, Mode = most frequent value
 Practice Questions:
1. A set of data has the following values: 2, 5, 7, 7, 9. What is the median?
2. In a survey, 10 people prefer apples, 8 prefer oranges, and 2 prefer bananas. What is
the mode?
3. If a coin toss has a 50% chance of landing on heads, what is the probability of getting
tails in two consecutive tosses?
 6. Number Theory:

 Definition: This branch explores the properties of numbers, particularly integers

(whole numbers). It focuses on concepts like prime numbers (divisible only by 1 and
itself), factors (numbers that divide evenly into another number), and multiples
(products of a number and another whole number).
 Example: Determining if a number is prime (like 7), finding the factors of 12 (1, 2, 3,
4, 6, 12), identifying the multiples of 5 (5, 10, 15...).
 Formula: No specific formula, but divisibility rules can be helpful (e.g., a number is
divisible by 2 if the last digit is even).
 Practice Questions:
1. List the prime numbers between 1 and 20.
2. Find the greatest common factor (GCD) of 18 and 30.
3. Is 37 a multiple of 7?

7. Vectors:

 Definition: A vector is a mathematical object that has both magnitude (length or size)
and direction. Vectors are used to represent quantities like forces, displacement, or
velocity.
 Example: The force applied to move a box to the right can be represented by a vector
with a specific direction (right) and magnitude (strength of the push).
 Formula: Vector addition/subtraction involves considering both direction and
magnitude. (Formulas depend on the specific operation)
 Practice Questions:
1. Imagine two forces pulling an object in opposite directions, one with a magnitude of
10 N pointing right and another with a magnitude of 5 N pointing left. What is the net
force acting on the object?
2. A vector representing displacement has a magnitude of 8 meters and points at an
angle of 30 degrees above the horizontal. What are the horizontal and vertical
components of this vector?
3. Distinguish between a scalar and a vector.

8. Matrices:

 Definition: A matrix is a rectangular array of numbers, symbols, or expressions

arranged in rows and columns. Matrices are used to represent systems of linear
equations, perform transformations, and solve various mathematical problems.

Example: A matrix can be used to represent the prices and quantities of different
products sold in a store.

 Formula: Matrix addition/subtraction involves adding/subtracting corresponding

items between matrices with the same dimensions. (Specific formulas depend on the
operation)

 Practice Questions:
1. Consider two matrices, A = [[1, 2], [3, 4]] and B = [[5, 6], [7, 8]]. What is the element
at row 2, column 1 of the matrix A + B?
2. A 1x3 matrix represents the coordinates of a point in 3D space (x, y, z). How many
total values would a 2x4 matrix contain?
3. Explain how matrices can be used to solve systems of linear equations. (They can be
used to express a system of equations in a compact form and then perform operations
on the matrix to solve for the variables)
 9. Computation:

 Definition: This refers to the process of performing mathematical calculations,

including basic arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division)
and more complex calculations involving exponents, logarithms, or algebra.

 Example: Finding the total cost of groceries with tax, calculating the area of a
rectangle, solving an equation for x.

 Formula: Various formulas are used depending on the specific operation (e.g., area
of rectangle = length x width).

Practice Questions:
1. Simplify the expression: (3 x 4) + (2 x 5)
2. Calculate the area of a triangle with a base of 8 cm and a height of 6 cm
(Area of a triangle = 1/2 * base * height)

3. If a recipe requires 1/3 cup of sugar for one batch, how many cups of sugar do you
need for 4 batches?

10. Consumer Arithmetic:

 Definition: This is the practical application of math skills in everyday consumer

situations. It involves calculations related to money, discounts, interest rates, and
budgeting.

 Example: Calculating a tip at a restaurant, figuring out the final price after a sale,
comparing loan offers based on interest rates.
 Formula: Simple interest = principal x rate x time (I = PRT), Percent change = (new
value - old value) / old value x 100%

 Practice Questions:
1. A shirt is priced at $20 but has a 15% discount. What is the final price you pay?
2. You borrow $10,000 for a car loan at an annual interest rate of 5% for 2 years. How
much total interest will you pay?
3. Your monthly income is $3000 and your monthly expenses are $2500. What is your
monthly budget surplus (extra money)?

This should equip you with a solid foundation and practice problems for each math
topic. Remember, consistent practice is key to mastering these concepts!