Math Words That Start with I: Your Essential List

Looking for math words that start with ‘i’? This article lists all the key terms you’ll need to know.

  1. Identity- An element that, when combined with another element in an operation, leaves the other element unchanged.
  2. Integer- A whole number that can be positive, negative, or zero.
  3. Integration- The process of finding the integral of a function.
  4. Inequality- A mathematical statement that shows the relationship between quantities that are not equal.
  5. Imaginary number- A complex number in which the imaginary part is not zero.
  6. Induction- A method of mathematical proof typically used to establish a given statement for all natural numbers.
  7. Isosceles- A type of triangle with at least two equal sides.
  8. Irrational number- A number that cannot be expressed as a ratio of two integers.
  9. Iteration- The process of repeating a set of operations until a specific condition is met.
  10. Incircle- The largest circle that fits inside a polygon, touching all its sides.
  11. Inflection- A point on a curve at which the curvature changes sign.
  12. Intercept- The point where a line crosses an axis on a graph.
  13. Interval- A range of values between two specified limits.
  14. Inradius- The radius of an incircle.
  15. Isometric- Equal in measurements or dimensions.
  16. Identity matrix- A square matrix with ones on the diagonal and zeros elsewhere.
  17. Inverse function- A function that reverses the effect of the original function.
  18. Interpolation- The process of estimating unknown values that fall between known values.
  19. Incidence- The relationship between two figures when they share a common point.
  20. Intersection- The set of points common to two or more geometric configurations.
  21. Infimum- The greatest element that is less than or equal to each element of a subset in order theory.
  22. Index- A number or letter that indicates the position of an item in a sequence or set.
  23. Isometry- A transformation that preserves distances between points.
  24. Improper fraction- A fraction in which the numerator is greater than or equal to the denominator.
  25. Icosagon- A polygon with twenty sides.
  26. Invariance- Property of remaining unchanged under transformations.
  27. Implicit function- A function defined implicitly by an equation.
  28. Ideal- A special subset of a ring in algebra.
  29. Involution- A function that is its own inverse.
  30. Initial value- The starting value of a function or sequence.
  31. Inhomogeneous- A term describing differential equations where terms are not equal to zero.
  32. Incidence matrix- A matrix that shows the relationship between vertices and edges of a graph.
  33. Injective- A function that maps distinct elements to distinct elements.
  34. Invariants- Quantities that remain constant under transformations.
  35. Incenter- The center of an incircle.
  36. Infinite series- A sum of infinitely many terms.
  37. Integral domain- A type of ring with no zero divisors.
  38. Increase- To become greater in size, amount, or degree.
  39. Interior angle- An angle inside a polygon.
  40. Intersecting lines- Lines that cross at one point.
  41. Inversely proportional- A relationship where one quantity decreases as another increases.
  42. Intermediate value- Any value between two given values.
  43. Isohedron- A polyhedron with all faces the same shape and size.
  44. Isomorphism- A mapping that shows a one-to-one correspondence between sets that preserves structures.
  45. Independent variable- A variable whose variation does not depend on another.
  46. Integers modulo n- The set of integers 0 through n-1 under addition modulo n.
  47. Indeterminate form- An expression in calculus that does not define a value.
  48. Iterative method- A method that produces a sequence of approximations to the solution.
  49. Index notation- A representation of complex algebraic expressions using subscripts.
  50. Interval notation- A representation of sets of numbers as intervals.
  51. Infinitesimal- An infinitely small quantity.
  52. Implicit differentiation- A technique to find derivatives when a function is not given explicitly.
  53. Idempotent- An element that, when operated on by a certain function, yields itself.
  54. Initial condition- A value or set of values used to solve a differential equation.
  55. Intersection point- The point where two lines or curves meet.
  56. Irrational equation- An equation involving irrational numbers.
  57. Iterated integral- A multiple integral where one integration is performed after another.
  58. Independent events- Events whose outcomes do not affect each other.
  59. Inverse matrix- A matrix that, when multiplied with the original matrix, yields the identity matrix.
  60. Involution algebra- Algebra involving involution operations.
  61. Isotropic- Uniform in all directions.
  62. Infimum norm- The greatest lower bound of a function.
  63. Inner product- A generalization of the dot product to abstract vector spaces.
  64. Interval graph- A graph where intervals of the real line are vertices and edges represent overlapping intervals.
  65. Initial side- The starting position of a ray in an angle.
  66. Induced subgraph- A subset of a graph formed by deleting some vertices and edges.
  67. Irreducible fraction- A fraction in simplest form.
  68. Infinity- A concept describing something without bound or end.
  69. Inductive reasoning- A method of reasoning in which a generalization is made based on observed patterns.
  70. Isosurface- A three-dimensional surface representing points of a constant value within a volume of space.
  71. Invariant theory- A study of algebraic forms that remain constant under transformations.
  72. Immediate successor- The next element in a well-ordered set.
  73. Integral calculus- A branch of calculus focused on the concept of the integral and its applications.
  74. Injectivity- A property of functions where each input is mapped to a unique output.
  75. Isogonal- Referring to angles that are equal.
  76. Isotone- A function or relation that preserves order.
  77. Infix notation- Normal arithmetic notation where the operator is placed between operands.
  78. Invertible- Capable of being inverted or having an inverse function.
  79. Infimum element- The least upper bound in order theory.
  80. Irreducible polynomial- A polynomial that cannot be factored into lower-degree polynomials.

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