Math Words That Start With C: Key Terms and Definitions

Discover common math words starting with the letter C to enhance your mathematical vocabulary and understanding.

  1. Coefficient – A numerical or constant factor in an algebraic term.
  2. Calculus – A branch of mathematics involving derivatives and integrals.
  3. Chord – A straight line connecting two points on a curve.
  4. Circle – A round plane figure whose boundary is equidistant from the center.
  5. Circumference – The perimeter or distance around a circle.
  6. Clustering – Grouping of data points in a cluster.
  7. Collinear – Lying on the same straight line.
  8. Common Denominator – A shared multiple of the denominators of two or more fractions.
  9. Commutative – A property where the order of numbers does not change the result (e.g., addition).
  10. Complementary Angles – Two angles that add up to 90 degrees.
  11. Complex Number – A number consisting of a real and an imaginary part.
  12. Composite Number – A number with more than two factors.
  13. Compound Interest – Interest calculated on both the initial principal and the accumulated interest.
  14. Concave – Curved inward.
  15. Concentric – Circles or spheres that share the same center.
  16. Cone – A three- dimensional shape with a circular base and a single apex.
  17. Congruent – Figures or shapes that are identical in form and size.
  18. Constant – A fixed value that does not change.
  19. Coordinate – A set of values that show an exact position.
  20. Correlation – A measure of the relationship between two variables.
  21. Cosine – A trigonometric function related to the adjacent side and hypotenuse of a right triangle.
  22. Coefficient of Variation – A measure of relative variability.
  23. Cotangent – The reciprocal of the tangent function in trigonometry.
  24. Covariance – A measure of how much two variables change together.
  25. Cramer’s Rule – A theorem used to solve systems of linear equations.
  26. Cube – A three- dimensional shape with six equal square faces.
  27. Cube Root – A number that when multiplied by itself three times gives the original number.
  28. Curvature – The amount by which a curve deviates from being a straight line.
  29. Curve – A smoothly flowing continuous line or surface that differs from a straight line.
  30. Cylindrical – Having the shape of a cylinder.
  31. Canonical Form – A standard way of presenting an equation.
  32. Convergence – The property of approaching a limit as a variable approaches a point.
  33. Convex – Curved outward.
  34. Congruence – The quality or state of matching exactly.
  35. Concordance – Agreement or harmony between data sets.
  36. Condition Number – A measure of the sensitivity of a function’s output to its input.
  37. Convolution – A mathematical operation on two functions producing a third function.
  38. Cosecant – The reciprocal of the sine function in trigonometry.
  39. Critical Point – A point on the graph where the derivative is zero or undefined.
  40. Canonical Correlation – A measure of the relationship between two sets of variables.
  41. Cross Product – A vector operation producing another vector perpendicular to the plane of the vectors.
  42. Characteristic Polynomial – A polynomial equation derived from the determinant of a matrix.
  43. Chain Rule – A rule for differentiating compositions of functions.
  44. Center – A point equidistant from all points on a circle or sphere.
  45. Constant Function – A function that always returns the same value.
  46. Closed Form – An expression that can be calculated in a finite number of operations.
  47. Continuous Function – A function without breaks, jumps, or holes.
  48. Complement set – The set of elements not in a specific set.
  49. Conjecture – An unproven mathematical statement.
  50. Contour Integral – An integral taken along a path in the complex plane.
  51. Cumulative Frequency – The sum of frequencies accumulating up to a particular point.
  52. Convex Hull – The smallest convex set containing a given set of points.
  53. Coercivity – The resistance to change in a system or material.
  54. Cut – A partition of the vertices of a graph into two disjoint subsets.
  55. Corollary – A statement that follows readily from a previously proven statement.
  56. Chain – A sequence of elements where each pair is connected.
  57. Centroid – The center of mass of a geometric object of uniform density.
  58. Conditional Probability – The probability of an event given that another event has occurred.
  59. Characteristic Equation – An equation that specifies the characteristic polynomial.
  60. Convex Set – A subset of a space where a line between any two points lies entirely within the set.
  61. Cube Number – A number raised to the third power.
  62. Capacitance – The ability of a system to store charge.
  63. Calibration – The process of adjusting the values of a model to match real data.
  64. Cantor Set – An example of a fractal set with a complex structure.
  65. Column Vector – A matrix with a single column.
  66. Combinatorics – The branch of mathematics dealing with combinations and permutations.
  67. Center of Gravity – The point where the total weight of a body is concentrated.
  68. Closed Interval – An interval that includes its endpoints.
  69. Contingency Table – A table used to display the frequency distribution of variables.
  70. Composite Function – A function formed by combining two other functions.
  71. Concavity – The measure of the curving of a graph (concave up or down).
  72. Chebyshev’s Inequality – A probability statement about the proportion of data within a certain number of standard deviations from the mean.
  73. Class Interval – A range of values in a data set.
  74. Cholesky Decomposition – A matrix factorization technique.
  75. Continuity – A property of a function that is smooth without any breaks.
  76. Chain Complex – A sequence of abelian groups connected by homomorphisms.
  77. Cantor Space – A topological space related to the Cantor set.
  78. Cartan Matrix – A matrix used in the classification of Lie algebras.
  79. Cusp – A point where two branches of a curve meet with a common tangent.
  80. Coxeter Group – A group defined by a set of reflections on a Euclidean space.
  81. Cyclotomic Field – A number field obtained by adjoining a root of unity to the rationals.
  82. Cancellation Law – A property of elements under a binary operation.
  83. Column Space – The set of all possible linear combinations of the columns of a matrix.
  84. Commutator – An element representing the difference between the product of two elements in reverse orders in a group.
  85. Canonical Decomposition – A standard decomposition of a mathematical object.
  86. Credible Interval – An interval in Bayesian statistics representing a range of values for an unknown parameter.
  87. Convex Function – A function where the line segment between any two points on its graph lies above or on the graph.
  88. Cuban Prime – A prime that can be expressed as a difference of two cubes.
  89. Contingency – A term describing a situation dependent on certain conditions or events.
  90. Conjugate Gradient Method – An algorithm for solving systems of linear equations.
  91. Complex Plane – A plane used to represent complex numbers graphically.
  92. Chain Rule – A formula to compute the derivative of a composite function.
  93. Conditional Expectation – The expected value of a random variable given the occurrence of another event.
  94. Coplanar – Points or lines that lie in the same plane.
  95. Calabi–Yau Manifold – A complex manifold important in string theory.
  96. Cauchy Distribution – A probability distribution with heavy tails.
  97. Commutative Diagram – A diagram used in category theory.
  98. Cab Curve – A curve related to a specific algebraic equation.
  99. Critical Value – A point at which a function changes behaviour.
  100. Curl – A vector operator describing the rotation of a field.

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