Algebra Glossary: P

percent: Fractions with a denominator of 100. The percentage is the numerator of the fraction, indicating the number of parts out of 100.

permutation: A counting method that determines the number of ordered arrangements there are when a certain number of objects are selected from a given set.

polynomial: An expression with one or more terms.

positive number: Any quantity greater than zero.

power: A value of an exponent indicating the number of times the base is multiplied by itself.

power of zero: A rule of exponents, where any number raised to the power of zero equals one as long as the base number isn’t zero.

prime factorization: The process of finding the prime numbers that, when multiplied together, produce a given composite number.

prime number: A whole number larger than one that can be divided evenly only by itself and one.

principal square root: A positive number that when multiplied by itself produces a given positive number.

product: The result of multiplication.

proper fraction: A fraction whose value is less than one; thus, the numerator is always smaller than the denominator.

proportion: An equation showing that two ratios are equal to one another.