MATHEMATICS AND TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING

Abscissa
The horizontal or x-coordinate of a point in a two-dimensional system of Cartesian
coordinate, equal to the distance of the point from the y-axis measured parallel to the x-
axis
Absolute Geometry
Euclindean geometry without the parallel postulate.
Absolute value
The square root of the sum of the squares of the vertical and horizontal distance of a
complex number in the Argam diagram.

r = absolute value r
4
r = √(3)3 + (4)2
r=5 𝜃

Abstract Algebra
That part of algebra concerned with the study of groups rings, molecules, fields and
similar structures.
Acceleration
The rate of change of velocity
Archimedes method
A method of estimating the value of π by computing the area or perimeter of inscribed
and circumscribed polygons for a unit circle using more and more sides.
Acos
Abbreviation for inverse cosine function.
Acot

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
Abbreviation or symbol for inverse cotangent
Actnh
Symbol for inverse hyperbolic cotangent.
Acute angle
An angle whose measure is less than 90°
Acute triangle
A triangle with three acute angles.
Addend
The first number when two numbers or quantities are added together.
Ex. 4 + 2 = 6, 4 is the addend.
Adjoint
The matrix that is the transpose of the matrix of the complex conjugates of the entries of
a given matrix.
Algebra
The branch of elementary mathematics that generalizes arithmetic by using variables to
range over numbers.
Algebraic number
Any number that is the root of a polynomial equation with coefficients drawn from a
rational numbers.
Algorithm
The step by step procedure for solving a problem which specifically states how to
proceed in all circumstances.
Altitude
The perpendicular distance from a side to the opposite vertex.

altitude

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
Alternate angles
Either pair of angles contained between two given lines and a transversal and lying on
opposite sides of the transversal. These angles are equal if and only if the given lines
are parallel.
Annual interest rate
The ratio of the amount of interest paid in one year to the principal amount borrowed
over that time.
Amplitude or Argument
The angle between the positive real axis and the vector representing a given complex
number in the Argam diagram.

4 r
tan𝜃 = 4
3
𝜃 = amplitude or argument
𝜃

Annuity
Is the sequence of equal payments made at regular intervals.
Annulus
The region enclosed between two concentric circles.
Anomaly
Another word for amplitude in polar coordinates.
Antecedent
A term use to call a number having a given ratio, say 4 to 7, the number 4 is called the
antecedent and number 7 is called the consequent of the ratio.
Antilog
Another word for antilogarithm where if no base is specifies, it is usually taken ass 10.

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
Antipodes
Two points at opposite ends of a diameter of a sphere.
Apex
The highest vertex in a given orientation of a polygon especially a triangle, the vertex
opposite the base.

base

Apothem
A line from the center of a regular polygon perpendicular to one of its sides.

Apothem

Argand diagram or Gaussian plane

A diagram in which complex numbers are represented by the points in the Cartesian
plane the coordinates which are respectively the real and imaginary parts of the given
complex number a + bi.
Argument
The angle between the positive real axis and the vector representing a given complex
number in the Argam diagram.
Arithmetic progression

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
A sequence of numbers or quantities, each differing by a constant value called the
common difference from the predecessor.
Arithmetic series
The sum of the terms of an arithmetic progression.
Aspect ratio
The ratio of the width divided by the height of a rectangular section.
Asteroid
A hypocloid with four cusps.
Asymptote
A straight line whose perpendicular distance from a curve decreases to zero as the
distance from the origin increases without limit.
Atto
A prefix denoting a fraction 10-18 of the physical units of the system international.
Augend
The second number when the two numbers or quantities are added together.
Ex. 5 + 3 = 8, 3 is called augend.
Axiom
A statement of truth which is admitted without proof.
Binary number
A number expressed in place value rotation to base 2.
Bar chart
A diagram consisting of a sequence of vertical and horizontal bars or rectangles, each
of which represents an equal interval of the values of a variable and has a height
proportional to the quantities of the phenomenon under consideration in that interval.
Binomial
A mathematical expression consisting of two terms such as 3x + 2y.
Binomial coefficient
Any of the numerical factors that multiply the successive terms in the expansion of an
expression of the form (x + y)n.

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
Binomial theorem
The theorem that gives the form of the expansion of any positive integral power of a
binomial (x + y)n.
Bisector or bisectrix
A straight line or plane that bisects a given angle or line.
Bitangent
A line tangent to a curve or surface at two different points.
Boolean algebra
A distributive lattice with a zero and a unity in which every member has a compliment
that is itself a member.
Boundary Condition
A condition imposed on the solution of a different equation so as to obtained the desired
particular solution.
Briggsian logarithm
A less common name for the common logarithm.
Cardioid
A heart-shaped curve generated by a fixed point on a circle as it rolls around another
circle of equal radius.
Cartesian coordinates or Rectangular coordinates
A system for the representation of a point in space in terms of its distance, measured
along a set of mutually perpendicular axes from a given origin.
Catenary
The curve described by a uniformly heavy flexible cord hanging freely between two
points.
Catenoid
The geometrical surface generated by rotating a catenary around its axis of symmetry.
Cavalier’s Principle
The principle that solids with the same height and with cross sections of the same area
have the same volume.

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
Center of curvature
The center of the circle of curvature of a curve at a given point.
Centrifugal force
An apparent force acting outwards along a radius that opposes a real force such as the
tension in a cord connecting to a body to a fixed point around which it travels in a
circular path.
Centroid or center
The point of coincidence of the medians of a triangle or a point whose coordinates are
the mean values of the coordinates of the points in a given set.
Cevian
Any line segment joining a vertex of a triangle to a point on the opposite side or on its
extension.
Characteristics Vector
Another term for Eigenvector.
Chilliagon
Polygon with one thousand sides.
Chord
A straight line segment connecting two points on a curve or surface and lying between
them.
Cipher or cypher
An absolute name for zero.
Circle
A plane closed curve, all points of which are the same distance from a point within.
Circumcenter
The center of the circumcircle of a given figure. In a triangle, it is the point of intersection
of the perpendicular bisectors of each side.
Circumcircle
A circle that circumscribed a given polygon, passing through all its vertices.
Circumference

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
The boundary of a specific region or geometric figure, especially of a circle.
Circumscribe
To draw a specified geometric figure around another in such a way that they are in
contact but do not intersect.
Cis
Abbreviation for Cos + I Sin.
Coefficient of probability
The single valued real function, P, determining the probability that a member of a
system lies within an elemental volume.
Coefficient of restitution
The ratio of the total momentum after to that before the collision.
Colinear
A set of points lying on the same straight line.
Cologarithm
The logarithm of the reciprocal of a number, equal to the additive inverse of its
logarithm.
Combination
Is the number of ways of choosing sum objects out of a group of objects, where the
order is unimportant.
Combination
Unordered arrangement, a selection of a subset of objects from a set without regard to
order.
Common denominator
An integer that is exactly divisible by all the denominators of a set of fractions.
Common difference
The difference between the successive terms of an arithmetic progression.
Common logarithm
A logarithm to base 10, that is the power to which 10 has to raised to equal a given
number.

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
Common tangent
A line that is tangent to two or more curves.
Complementary angle
The angle that is the difference between a given angle and a right angle.
Complex
The form of a complex number consisting of real numbers and an imaginary part, either
of which may be zero.
Complex conjugate
The complex number whose imaginary part is the negative of that of a given complex
number. Ex. A complex number has an equation of a + I b, the complex conjugate of a +
i b is equal to a – i b.

Complex number
A number of the form a + bi where a and b are real constants and i is the square root of
-1.
Compound fraction or complex fraction
A fraction of which the numerator or denominator contains fraction.
Compound number
A quantity expressed in different but related units such as 5 minutes and 12 seconds.
Comprehension axiom
The axiom of set of theory that states that for any property there exist a set consisting of
all elements with the given property.
Concentric
A family of geometrical figures specially circles having a common center.
Conclusion
A statement that purports to follow from another or others by means of argument or
proof.
Concurrence

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
The fact that three or more lines coincide.
Conics
The branch of Geometry and coordinate Geometry concerned with the properties of the
conic sections.
Conjugate
Two angles having a sum of 360°.
Conjugate axis
The axis of a hyperbola that does not pass through the foci.
Constant matrix
A matrix all the entries of which are constants, sometimes in particular, one in which all
the entries are the same constant.
Contrary
A pair of statements such that they cannot be true at the same time, under the same
circumstances.
Convergence
The property hat or manner in which, a sequence, series or integral is convergent to a
finite limit.
Coplanar
Lying in the same plane.
Corollary
A proposition that follows directly from the statement or the proof of another proposition.
Cubature
The calculation of the volume of a solid or the volume itself.
Cube
A solid with six identical square sides that are mutually perpendicular.
Cuboid
Shape in some respect like a cube, especially having rectangular but not necessarily
square faces.
Curvature

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
The rate of change of inclination of the tangent to a curve relative to the length of arc.
Cyclic quadrilateral
A quadrilateral inscribed in a circle, so that all its vertices line on the circumference.
Cycloid
A locus of points on a side which rolls along a fixed line.
Cycloid
The curve described by a point on the circumference of a circle as it rolls without
slipping on a straight line.
Cylinder
Commonly, a solid bounded by two parallel planes and by the locus of a line that move
around a fixed closed curve at a fixed angle to the planes.
Cylindroid
A cylinder with elliptical cross section.
Daily interest rate
The interest change for one day’s use of money.
Decagon
A polygon with 10 sides.
Decahedron
A solid with 10 plane faces.
Deficient number
Any natural number that exceeds the sum of its proper divisors.
Definition
Is a true conditional statement whose converse is also true.
Deltoid
A non-convex quadrilateral with two pairs of adjacent equal sides.
Desargues theorem

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
The theorem that if the lines joining corresponding vertices of two triangles in three-
dimensional space pass through a common point, then the points of intersection of
corresponding sides are collinear.
Descartes
Founded Analytic geometry and introduced exponential notation, Cartesian coordinates
and methods of solving polynomial equations.
Determinant
A scalar quantity representing a certain defined alternating sum of products of elements
of a square matrix, one from each row and column.
Deviation
The difference between any one of the sequence of observed values of a variable and
some value such as the mean.
Diagonal matrix
A matrix of which all the elements other than those on its main diagonal are zero.
Diagonal of a polygon
A line joining any two vertices of a polygon that are not joined by any of its edges,that is
they are not adjacent.
Dichotomy
Division into two equal parts.
Differential Calculus
The branch of calculus that studies derivatives and differentials and their evaluation and
use.
Differential coefficient
Another name for the derivative or its value for a given argument.
Differential equation
An equation containing derivatives or differentials of a function.
Dihedral
Dihedron or dihedral angle formed by two intersecting planes and the line in whxih they
meet.
Dilation

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
A transformation that takes parallel lines into parallel lines, a direction-preserving
similarity.
Diophantine equations
A polynomial equation in several unknowns, with integral coefficients, to be solved or
proved insoluble in integers such as Pythagoras Theorem.
Direction cosines
The triple of cosines of the direction angles of a line or vector, that determine its
orientation.
Directrix
A fixed line on the convex side of a conic equation in terms of which, together with the
focus and eccentricity, the locus of points that constitute the conic is defined.
Discount
An interest charge that is collected at the beginning of the term of the loan.
Discount rate
The rate at which the commercial banks may borrow short-term funds from the Central
Bank or interest rate that commercial banks have to pay for the money.
Dividend
The umber being divided in a division 30/5 = 6, 30 is the dividend, 5 is the divisor and 6
is the quotient.

Dodecagon
A polygon with twelve sides.
Dodecahedron
A polyhedron with twelve plane faces. All the faces of a rectangular dodecahedron are
regular pentagons.
Duodecimal
Relating to a number system with base 12.
Dynamics also called kinetics
The branch of mechanics concerned with the forces that change or produce the motions
of bodies.

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
Eccentricity
A parameter, often denoted e, that identifies the shape of a conic section as a locus of
points such that the ratio between the distance of any such point (the focus) and its
distance from a given fixed line (the directrix) equals this constant.
Ecentre
Another word for excentre.
Effective yield
Represents the actual amount of interest that is earned or paid in one year when the
effect of compounding is taken into account.
Eikosahedron
A polyhedron with 20 sides.
Elastic
The point on the stress-strain diagram which a body resumes its original shape and size
without supply of energy, after an arbitrary deformation.
Ennea or nona
Prefix denoting nine.
Enneagon
A polyhedron with nine faces.
Epicycle
A circle that rolls around the inside or outside of another circle, thereby generating an
epicycloids or hypocycloid.
Equiangular triangle
A triangle with three equal angles.
Equilateral triangle
A triangle with three equal sides.
Escribe circle, ecircle or escircle
One of the circles tangent to one side and to the extensions of the other two sides of a
triangle.
Euler Law of Motion

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
States that the force acting on any sub-body is equal to the rate of change of its linear
momentum.
Euler line
The line in a triangle on which the orthocenter, centroid and circumcenter lie.
Euler number
Another term for the constant e.
Euneahedron
A polyhedron with 9 sides.
Evolute
A curve that describes the locus of the centers of the curvature (the involute) to which
its tangents are normal.
Exa
Prefix denoting a multiple of 1018 of the physical units of system international.
Excenter
The center of an escribe circle.
Excenter or ecenter
The center of the escribed circle of a triangle.
Excircle
Another term for escribed circle.
Exradius or eradius
A radius of an escribed circle in a triangle.
Exterior point
A point lying simultaneously on two tangents to a given conic.
Extreme
The first and last term of a series of proportion.
Femto
Prefix denoting a fraction of 10-15 of the physical units of system international.
Fermat prime

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
Any prime number of the form 2n + 1.
Fibonacci numbers
The sequence of integers where each number is the sum of the previous two.
Ex. 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34. . . .
Focus
A fixed point on the concave side of a conic section in terms of which, together with its
directrix and its eccentricity, the locus of points constituting the conic is defined.
Friction
A force tangential to two surfaces in contact that is due to the roughness of the
materials and is determined by the coefficient of static friction and coefficient of kinetic
friction which vary only with the materials and units used.
Frustum
A part of a solid such as the cone or pyramid lying between the base and a plane
parallel to the base that intersect with the solid.
Gaussian Plane
Another name for argand diagram.
Geometric mean
The nth root of the product of a sequence.
Geometric progression
A sequence of numbers whose successive numbers differ by a constant multiplier.
Geometric series
A series whose terms form a geometric progression.

Geometry
The elementary study of the properties and relations of constructible plane figures.
Giga
Prefix denoting a multiple of 109 of the physical units of the systems international.
Gnomon

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
A geometric figure remaining after a parallelogram has been removed from one corner
of a larger similar parallelogram.
Gnomonic projection
The projection of a sphere from its center onto any tangent plane.
Gon
Suffix denoting a polygon.
Gravity
The force between bodies due to their mass.
Great circle
A circular section of a sphere, a circle drawn on the surface of a sphere that has the
same radius by a diametral plane, as the sphere.
Harmonic mean
The reciprocal of the arithmetic mean of the reciprocals of a given set of positive
numbers, it is equal to geometric mean of the same set of numbers.
Harmonic progression
A sequence of numbers of which the reciprocals form an arithmetic progression.
Haversine
Half the value of the versed sine of an angle.
Hect
Prefix denoting six.
Hecto
Prefix denoting a multiple of 102 of the physical units of the systems international.
Hedron
Suffix denoting a polyhedron.
Helecoid
Any solid or surface shaped like a screw head.
Helix

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
A curve that lies on the surface of a cylinder or cone at a constant angle to the line
segments that sweep out on the surface.
Hemi
Prefix denoting half.
Hemisphere
Half of a sphere bounded by a plane containing its center.
Hemispheroid
One half of spheroid.
Hendeca
Prefix denoting eleven.
Hendecagon
A polygon having an eleven sides plane figure.
Heptad
A group or sequence of seven.
Heptangular
A figure having seven angles.
Hexa
Prefix denoting six.
Hexad
Set or sequence of six.
Hexagon
A polygon having six sides.
Hexagram
A star-shaped figure formed by extending the sides of a regular hexagon to meet at six
points or by superimposing two equilateral triangles one of which is inverted.

Hexahedron
A solid figure with six plane faces.

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
Hexangular
A figure having 6 vertices.
Hooke’s Law
The law stating that the tension in a stretched elastic body is Kx where x is the
extension and K a constant. If the body is spring K is called stiffness.
Hydrodynamics
The branch of mechanics that studies fluids in motion.
Hydrostatics
Branch of Mechanics that studies fluids at rest.
Hyperbola
A conic section with eccentricity greater than 1 formed by a plane that cuts both bases
of a cone.
Hyperboloid of one sheet
A geometric surface of which the sections parallel to the three coordinate axes are
𝑥 2 𝑦2 𝑧 2
hyperbola or ellipse. 2 + 2 - 2 = 1
𝑎 𝑏 𝑐
Hyperboloid of two sheets
A geometric surface that consists of two parts separated by a finite distance and the
cross sections of which parallel to two of the coordinate axes are hyperbolas, and those
𝑥 2 𝑦2 𝑧 2
parallel to the third axis are ellipse. 2 - 2 - 2 = 1
𝑎 𝑏 𝑐
Hypocloid
A curve described by a point on the circumference of a circle as it rolls around the inside
of another fixed coplanar circle.
Hypotenuse
The side opposite the right angle in a right-angled triangle.
Hypothesis
An assumption used in an argument without being endorsed, it is an unproved theory.

Icosa

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
Prefix denoting 20.
Icosagon
A polygon having 20 sides.
Icosahedron
A solid with 20 faces.
Illon
Suffix denoting a number of million.
Improper fraction
A type of fraction in which the numerator is greater than the denominator such as 11/3,
24/3.
Incenter
The center of incircle of a triangle.
Incircle
A circle inscribed in a triangle.
Inelastic
Having elasticity less than 1.0.
Infinite sequence
A sequence the member of which are indexed by the natural numbers.
Instantaneous velocity
The speed of a car as indicated by the speedometer at any instant of time.
Integer
A number that maybe expressed as the sum or difference of two natural numbers.
Integral calculus
The branch of calculus concerned with the evaluation of integrals and their application
to the determination of areas, volume and to the solution of differential equations.
Integrand
The function that is integrated in an integral.

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
Integration by parts
The integration of a product of two differentiable functions.
Interest
An amount paid for the use of money.
Inverse matrix
The inverse to a given matrix with respect to matrix multiplication.
Irrational numbers
Any real or complex numbers that cannot be expressed as the ratio of two integers.
Such as π, e, √2, log23.
Isodiametric
Having all diameters of equal length.
Isogon
An equiangular polygon.
Isosceles triangle
A triangle having two sides equal and the angles opposite those sides are equal.
Joule
A work done by a force of one Newton acting through a distance of one meter.
Kinematic viscosity
The ratio of the viscosity to the density of a body.
Kinematics
The study of the motion of bodies without reference to mass or force.
Kinetics
The branch of Mechanics including both dynamics and kinematics concerned with the
study of bodies in motion.
Lagrangian
The difference between kinetic energy and the potential energy of a body.
Lateral face
Any side of a polyhedron other than a base.

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
Latus rectum
A chord that passes through the focus and is perpendicular to the major axis of a conic.
Leading coefficient
The coefficient of the term of highest degree in a polynomial in a single variable.
Ex. 6x3 – 3x2 + 2x + 1. The leading coefficient is 6.
Least common denominator
The smallest integer, that is exactly divisible by all the denominators of a given set of
1
fractions. Ex. 2, 1/3, 1/5, 30 is the lowest denominator.

Least common multiple

The smallest number or quantity that is divisible by all of a given set of numbers.
Ex. 3, 5 and 10. The least common multiple is 30.
Lemma
A subsidiary result proved in order to simplify the proof of a required theorem.
Lemniscate
A closed plane curve consisting of two symmetrical loops meeting at a point at which
two or more branches of a graph meet.
Limacon of Pascal
The locus of a point on a line at a fixed distance from its intersection, with a fixed circle
as it revolves a point on the circle.
Line
A straight thin wire that goes indefinitely in both directions. It has no thickness.
Linear algebra
The branch of Mathematics concerned with the linear equations, matrices,
determinants, vector spaces, etc.
Linear differential Equations
An ordinary differential equation that does not contain any products (including powers
greater than 1) of the derivatives and the dependent variable.

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
Linear equation
A polynomial equation of the first degree of the form y = ax + b.

Logarithm
The power to which a base must be raised to yield a given number usually abbreviated
log x or logb x with b as the base.
Long radius
The line or distance between the center and a vertex of a regular polygon.
Lune
A section of the surface of the sphere enclosed between two semi circles that intersect
diametrically opposite points on the sphere.
Mantissa
The fractional part of a common logarithm, representing the digits of the given number
but not its order of magnitude. Log 45 = 1.6532; log 4.5 = 0.6532. The mantissa of both
is 0.6532.
Mean deviation
The difference between an observed value of a variable and its mean.
Mechanics
The application of mathematical methods to the study of equilibrium and motion of
bodies in a particular frame of reference, including statics, dynamics and kinematics.
Minuend
The number being subtracted from in a subtraction. Ex. 7 – 2 = 5, 7 is the minuend, 2 is
the subtrahend and 5 is the difference.
Mixed numbers
1
A type of fraction such as 2 2 in which an improper fraction is expressed as a whole
number with a simple fraction.
Modulus or absolute value
A positive real number that is a measure of the magnitude of a complex number and is
equal to the square root of the sum of the squares of the real and imaginary parts of the
given number. Modulus of x + iy is √𝑥 2 𝑦 2 .

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
Monomial
An expression consisting of a single term, such as 4ax.
Multinomial
An algebraic expression with more than one term.
Multiplicand and multiplier
The numbers that are multiplied to the product. Ex. 8 x 10 = 80, 8 is called the
multiplicand, 10 is called the multiplier and 80 is the product.
Nano
Prefix for a fraction of 10-9 of the physical units of the system international.
Nappe
Either of the two parts into which a cone is divided by the vertex.
Natural logarithm
A logarithm the base of which the natural base e, usually written as ln x log ex.
Newton
The standard unit of force, equal to the force required to accelerate a mass of one
kilogram at one meter per second per second.
Newton’s first law
A particle that is at rest, or in motion, will remain at rest or in motion until acted upon by
an external force.
Newton’s second law
The rate of change of linear momentum of particle is equal to the total applied force.
Newton’s third law
Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
N-gon
A regular polygon with n sides.
Nonagon
A polygon having 9 sides.
Nought or Naught

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
Another word for zero.
Numerical eccentricity
Ratio of linear eccentricity e to the major axis of the conic “a”.
Oblique line
A line that meets a plane but is not perpendicular to it, in relation to the plane.
Oblong
Another term for rectangle
Obtuse angle
Angle greater than a right angle but less than a straight angle.
Octagon
A polygon with 8 sides.
Octahedron
A polyhedron with eight plane faces. The faces of a regular octahedron are equilateral
triangles.
Octant
Any of the eight trihedral sections into which the three space is divided by the Cartesian
coordinate axes.
Ordinate
The vertical or y-coordinate of a point in a two dimensional system off Cartesian
coordinates, equal to the distance of the point from the x-axis measured parallel to the
y-axis.
Orthocenter
The point of intersection of all three altitudes of a triangle.
Orthogonal
Another term for perpendicular.
Osculate
Intersection of two curves which meet at a point at which they have a common tangent.
Parallelogram

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
A quadrilateral in which both pairs of opposite sides are equal in length.
Pascal
The unit of pressure, tension or stress defined as one Newton per square meter.
Pascal’s mystic hexagram theorem
States that if a hexagon is inscribed in a conic, then the points of intersection of pairs of
opposite sides are collinear.

Pascal’s triangle
The triangular array of integers, with 1 at the apex, in which each member is the sum of
two numbers above it in the proceeding row.

1
1 1
1 2 1
1 3 3 1
1 4 6 4 1
1 5 10 10 5 1
Pascal’s triangle
Pedal triangle
The triangle formed by joining the three points of the perpendicular drawn from the point
to the sides of a given triangle.
B

E
D

A
F C

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
 Triangle DEF is a pedal triangle
Penta
Prefix denoting five
Pentagon
A polygon with five sides.
Pentagram, Pentangle, Pentacle
A star-shaped figure form by extending all the sides of a regular pentagon to meet in
pairs.
Pentahedron
A solid figure with five plane faces or a pyramid with a rectangular base.
Perigon
Another term for round angle.
Perimeter
The length of the curve enclosing a region of a surface.
Permutations
They are arrangement of factorials used to count the number of ways that a set of
distinct objects can be arranged.
Peta
Prefix denoting a multiple of 1015 of a unit of the systems international.
Pi (π)
The ratio of the circumference of any circle to its diameter.
Pico
Prefix denoting fractions of 10-12 of the physical units of the systems international.
Pie chart
A circular diagram divided into sectors of which the areas are proportional to the
magnitudes of the quantities represented.
Plane
A flat surface that extends infinitely in all directions.

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
Plane angle
An angle between two intersecting lines.
Plane Geometry
The study of the properties of and relations between figures all drawn on the same
plane.
Planimeter
A mechanical device that measures the area of an irregular plane figure such as the
area under a curve.

Polar angle
The angle measured anticlockwise, between the polar axis of a system of polar
coordinates and the line joining the origin to any given point.
Polar equation
An equation in polar coordinates.
Polygon
A closed plane figure bounded by three or more straight line that terminate in pairs at
the same number of vertices and do not intersect other than at their vertices.
Polyhedron
A solid figure or its surface, that is bounded by four or more polygonal faces in such a
way that pairs of faces meet along edges and three or more edges meet in each vertex.
Polynomial
An expression containing two or more terms such as 3x2 – 4xy + 2y2 – 7.
Position vector
A vector of which the components are the coordinates of a given point, the directed line
from the origin to that point.
Postulate
An axiom of a specific theory
Power

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
The first derivate of kinetic energy with respect to time.
Prime
An integer having no factors except itself and unity.
Prime lending rate
The interest rate banks use when lending to their most credit worthy customers.
Prime number
The number where the only factors of the number are 1 and the number itself.
Examples are 1, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19 and 23.
Prism
A polyhedron with two parallel and congruent polygonal bases, so that all parallel cross
sections are also congruent with the bases and therefore all sides are parallelograms.
Prismatoid
A polyhedron all of whose vertices lie in one or other of two parallel planes, all lateral
faces are therefore either triangular or quadrilateral.
Prismoid
A prismatoid with planar sides and an equal number of vertices in each of the parallel
planes.
Probability
The number of times something will probably occur over the range of possible
occurrences.
Progression
A sequence of terms especially one whose successive pairs of members have a
constant relation.
Prolate spheroid
A surface of revolution swept out by an ellipse rotating about its major axis.
Pyramid
A polyhedron with one polygonal face (the base) and all other faces (lateral faces)
triangular with a common vertex.
Quadrangle

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
A plane figure consisting of four points each joined by at least two lines to two other
points.
Quadrant
A quarter of the circumference of a circle.
Quadratics
The branch of algebra that studies quadratic equations.
Quadrilateral
Any four sided figure with the sum of its four angles is 360°.
Quadrinomial
An algebraic expression containing four terms.
Quartic
A polynomial of the fourth degree.
Quindecagon
A polygon with 15 sides.
Radian
An angle subtended by an arc of a circle having a length equal to the radius of the
circle.
Radical axis
The locus of points of equal power with respect to two circles, when the circles
intersects, it is the line joining the points of intersection of the circles.
Radical center
The point of intersection of the respective radical axes of each pair of circles selected
from the given three.
Radicand

The number which appears underneath a radical sign. √4 = 2, is the radicand sign 4 is
radicand and 2 is the square root.
Radius of curvature
The rate of change of the tangent to the curve with respect to arc length.
Radius of gyration

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
The distance from a given axis that a particle of the same mass as a rigid body must be
placed in order to have the same moment of inertia.
Rate of change
The ratio of the difference between values of a variable quantity at different times to the
difference between the times, the change per unit of time.
Rationale numbers
Any number that can be expressed as a ratio of two integers.
Rectangle
A quadrilateral with four right angles.
Rectangular hyperbola
A hyperbola of which the asymptotes are perpendicular.
Reflex angle
The angle between 180° and 360°, the larger of the two angles between two line
segments that meet at the vertex.
Regular polygon
A multisided figure whose sides are of equal length and whose angles are of equal
measure.
Remainder
The amount left over when one quantity cannot be exactly divided by another.
Resultant
The vector that represents the sum of two vectors.
Rhombohedron
A six sided prism of which the sides are parallelogram.
Rhomboid
A parallelogram of which the adjacent sides are unequal in length.
Rhombus
A quadrilateral with equal sides (the angles do not have to be equal).
Ritchter scale

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
Is use to measure the magnitude of earthquakes. The Ritchter scale is based on
measurements collected by a device called a seismograph.
Scalar
A quantity with magnitude but not direction such as opposed to velocity.
Scalene triangle
Triangle having all sides unequal.
Sequence
A succession of numbers in which one number is designated as first, another as second
and so on.
Series
The sum of a finite or infinite sequence of terms.
Sexagesimal measure
The measurement of angles in degrees, minutes and seconds, each unit being 1/60 of
the preceding.
Short radius
The distance between the center of regular polygon and any of its sides.
Simple fractions
1 3
A fraction in which the numerator is less than the denominator. Ex. , .
2 4
Simple interest
Refers to a one time calculation of a percent of a principal. It is paid at the end of a time
period specified by a contract.
Skew
Two lines not lying in the same plane in a three dimensional space which is neither
parallel or intersecting each other.
skew

a
skew

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
a
Slant height
The distance from the vertex to the base measured along the surface. For a frustum, it
is the distance between bases measured along the surface.
Solid Geometry
The branch of geometry concerned with the properties of three dimensional geometric
figures.
Solid of revolution
The solid figure generated by revolving any curve ground a line.
Speed
Is a measure of its change in position with respect to time.

Sphere
A three dimensional closed surface every point of which is equidistant from a given
point (its center).
Spherical angle
The angle formed the intersection of two grate circles of a sphere, equal to the angle
between their tangents at that point.
Spherical excess
The amount in which the sum of the angles of a spherical triangle exceeds 180° or the
amount by which the sum of the angles of a spherical polygon exceeds π (n - 2) radians
where n is the number of sides of a polygon.
Spherical trigonometry

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
The branch of trigonometry concerned with the measurement of the angles and sides of
spherical triangles.
Spheroid
Another name for ellipsoid.
Spherometer
An instrument for measuring the curvature of a surface.
Square
A quadrilateral with four equal sides and four equal angles.
Square matrix
A matric having the same number of rows and column.
Statics
The branch of mechanics concerned with the forces that produce a state of equilibrium
in a system of bodies.
Steradian
A unit of measure of a solid angle that is equal to the solid angle subtended at the
center of a unit area on its surface.
Subtangent
The projection of a tangent to a curve unto the x-axis in the two-dimensional Cartesian
plane.

Subtend
An angle at some specified points as that included between the lines drawn to the point
from the end points of the given line or curve.
Subtrahend
The number being subtracted in a subtraction. Ex. 5 – 3 = 2, 3 is the subtrahend.
Supplementary angle
An angle of which the sum with the given angle is 180°.
Supplementary angles
A pair of angles whose measures add up to 180°.

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
Tangency point or point of contract
The point at which a tangent line or plane is tangent to a given curve or surface.
Tangent
A line that touches a curve at a point and has the same slope as that of the curve at that
point.
Tension
The internal force in the longitudinal direction in a narrow body such as rope or a thin
beam.
Tera
Prefix denoting the multiple of 1012 of a unit of systems international.
Tetra
Prefix denoting four.
Tetragon
Another term for quadrilateral.
Tetrahedron
A polyhedron with four faces.
Theorem
A statement or formula that can be deduced from the axioms of a formal system.
Theory
A systematic statement of principles underlying some fragments of mathematics.
Topology
The branch of mathematics that is concerned with the generalization of the concepts of
continuity, limits, to sets other than the real and complex numbers.
Toroid
A surface or solid generated by rotating a closed plane curve around a cplanar line that
does not intersect the curve.
Torus
A ring-shaped surface or solid obtained by rotating a circle about a coplanar line that
does not intersect.

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
Translation
The transformation in which the origin of a coordinate system is moved to another
position but the new axes are parallel to the old.
Transversal
A line intersecting two or more other lines.

line (1)

transversal line (2)

Transverse axis
The axis of the hyperbola that passes through the foci.
Trapezium
A quadrilateral wit two parallel sides of unequal length.
Trapezoid
A quadrilateral with exactly one pair of parallel sides.

Trigonometry
The branch of mathematics concerned with the properties of the trigonometric functions
and their application to determine the sides and angles of a triangle.
Trihedral
A figure form by the three plane faces meeting at a point.
Trihedron
A figure determined by the intersection of three planes.

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
Trinomial
Consisting of 3 terms
Trisect
To divide into three equal parts.
Trisoctahedron
A solid figure with 24 identical triangular faces, each group of 3 being constructed on
one face of an underlying octahedron.
Trivial
A solution of a system of equations by setting the value of all the variables at zero.
Trochoid
The curve described by a fixed point on the radius of a circle or its extension, as it rolls
along a straight line.
Truncated
Having an open apex removed by an intersection with a plane that is usually not parallel
with the base.
Twin primes
A pair of prime numbers that differ by 2.
Ex. 17 and 19 or 1001 and 1003.
Undecagon
A polygon with eleven sides.
Universal gravitational constant
The constant that occur in Newton’s law of gravity in standard units, its value is 6.673 x
10-11.
Variance
The second power of the standards deviation.
Vector
Any quantity that has both a magnitude and a direction, such as velocity.
Velocity

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB
The rate of change of position or displacement, either instantaneous or average.
Venn Diagram
A diagram in which mathematical sets or the terms of categorical statements are
represented by overlapping circles within a boundary representing the universal set.
Versed sine
The trigonometric function equal to 1 – Cos function. Verse sine = 1 – Cos 𝜃.
Vertex
The point of intersection of two sides of a triangle.
Watt
The standard unit of power, being the rate of one joule per second.
Young’s modulus
A constant that measures the extent to which a material is elastic and that varies with
the material of a body and with the units.
Zone
A portion of a sphere between two parallel planes intersecting the sphere.

Civil Engineering Review

by: Engr. Earl John Villamora, RCE, REB