A term is a mathematical expression which may form a separable part of an equation, a series, or another expression.

Definition

In elementary mathematics

Elementary mathematics

Elementary mathematics consists of mathematics topics frequently taught at the primary or secondary school levels. The most basic topics in elementary mathematics are arithmetic and geometry...

, a term is either a single number or variable, or the product of several numbers or variables separated from another term by a + or - sign in an overall expression. For example, in

In the context of polynomial

Polynomial

In mathematics, a polynomial is an expression of finite length constructed from variables and constants, using only the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and non-negative integer exponents...

s, sometimes term is used for a monomial

Monomial

In mathematics, in the context of polynomials, the word monomial can have one of two different meanings:*The first is a product of powers of variables, or formally any value obtained by finitely many multiplications of a variable. If only a single variable x is considered, this means that any...

 with a coefficient

Coefficient

In mathematics, a coefficient is a multiplicative factor in some term of an expression ; it is usually a number, but in any case does not involve any variables of the expression...

: to 'collect like terms' in a polynomial is the basic operation

Operation (mathematics)

The general operation as explained on this page should not be confused with the more specific operators on vector spaces. For a notion in elementary mathematics, see arithmetic operation....

 of making it a linear combination

Linear combination

In mathematics, a linear combination is an expression constructed from a set of terms by multiplying each term by a constant and adding the results...

 of distinct monomials.

A series

Series (mathematics)

A series is the sum of the terms of a sequence. Finite sequences and series have defined first and last terms, whereas infinite sequences and series continue indefinitely....

 is often represented as the sum of a sequence

Sequence

In mathematics, a sequence is an ordered list of objects . Like a set, it contains members , and the number of terms is called the length of the sequence. Unlike a set, order matters, and exactly the same elements can appear multiple times at different positions in the sequence...

 of terms.

In general mathematical use, however, term is not limited to additive expressions.
Individual factors in an expression representing a product are multiplicative terms. Indeed, individual elements of any mathematical expression may be referred to as terms.

Terms

Term (logic)

In mathematical logic, universal algebra, and rewriting systems, terms are expressions which can be obtained from constant symbols, variables and function symbols...

 also appear in logic

Logic

In philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science...

.

Specific names for terms

addition and subtraction:

• Addend
• Subtrahend and minuend are the first and second terms, respectively, in subtraction

multiplication: Factor. In a multiplication of two factors, the first is called the multiplicand and the second is called the multiplier.
divisions and fractions: The top of a division is called the numerator (or dividend), and the bottom is called the denominator (or divisor

Divisor

In mathematics, a divisor of an integer n, also called a factor of n, is an integer which divides n without leaving a remainder.-Explanation:...

).
term value: the value of the term such as the term value of 8 is 8.