Skip to ContentGo to accessibility pageKeyboard shortcuts menu
OpenStax Logo
College Algebra

Key Terms

College AlgebraKey Terms
Search for key terms or text.

Key Terms

annual percentage rate (APR)
the yearly interest rate earned by an investment account, also called nominal rate
carrying capacity
in a logistic model, the limiting value of the output
change-of-base formula
a formula for converting a logarithm with any base to a quotient of logarithms with any other base.
common logarithm
the exponent to which 10 must be raised to get x; x; log 10 ( x ) log 10 ( x ) is written simply as log( x ). log( x ).
compound interest
interest earned on the total balance, not just the principal
doubling time
the time it takes for a quantity to double
exponential growth
a model that grows by a rate proportional to the amount present
extraneous solution
a solution introduced while solving an equation that does not satisfy the conditions of the original equation
half-life
the length of time it takes for a substance to exponentially decay to half of its original quantity
logarithm
the exponent to which b b must be raised to get x; x; written y= log b ( x ) y= log b ( x )
logistic growth model
a function of the form f(x)= c 1+a e −bx f(x)= c 1+a e −bx where c 1+a c 1+a is the initial value, c c is the carrying capacity, or limiting value, and b b is a constant determined by the rate of growth
natural logarithm
the exponent to which the number e e must be raised to get x; x; log e ( x ) log e ( x ) is written as ln( x ). ln( x ).
Newton’s Law of Cooling
the scientific formula for temperature as a function of time as an object’s temperature is equalized with the ambient temperature
nominal rate
the yearly interest rate earned by an investment account, also called annual percentage rate
order of magnitude
the power of ten, when a number is expressed in scientific notation, with one non-zero digit to the left of the decimal
power rule for logarithms
a rule of logarithms that states that the log of a power is equal to the product of the exponent and the log of its base
product rule for logarithms
a rule of logarithms that states that the log of a product is equal to a sum of logarithms
quotient rule for logarithms
a rule of logarithms that states that the log of a quotient is equal to a difference of logarithms
PreviousNext
Order a print copy
Citation/Attribution

This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's permission.

Want to cite, share, or modify this book? This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution License and you must attribute OpenStax.

Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/college-algebra/pages/1-introduction-to-prerequisites
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a digital format, then you must include on every digital page view the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/college-algebra/pages/1-introduction-to-prerequisites
Citation information

© Dec 8, 2021 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.