Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
An expression is often used to define a function, by taking the variables to be arguments, or inputs, of the function, and assigning the output to be the evaluation of the resulting expression. [5] For example, and define the function that associates to each number its square plus one. An expression with no variables would define a constant ...
For the multiplicative inverse of a real number, divide 1 by the number. For example, the reciprocal of 5 is one fifth (1/5 or 0.2), and the reciprocal of 0.25 is 1 divided by 0.25, or 4. The reciprocal function, the function f(x) that maps x to 1/x, is one of the simplest examples of a function which is its own inverse (an involution).
A rational algebraic expression (or rational expression) is an algebraic expression that can be written as a quotient of polynomials, such as x 2 + 4x + 4. An irrational algebraic expression is one that is not rational, such as √ x + 4.
In algebra, the partial fraction decomposition or partial fraction expansion of a rational fraction (that is, a fraction such that the numerator and the denominator are both polynomials) is an operation that consists of expressing the fraction as a sum of a polynomial (possibly zero) and one or several fractions with a simpler denominator.
Indeterminate form. Indeterminate form is a mathematical expression that can obtain any value depending on circumstances. In calculus, it is usually possible to compute the limit of the sum, difference, product, quotient or power of two functions by taking the corresponding combination of the separate limits of each respective function.
The roots of the quadratic function y = 1 2 x2 − 3x + 5 2 are the places where the graph intersects the x -axis, the values x = 1 and x = 5. They can be found via the quadratic formula. In elementary algebra, the quadratic formula is a closed-form expression describing the solutions of a quadratic equation.
Solving an equation symbolically means that expressions can be used for representing the solutions. For example, the equation x + y = 2x – 1 is solved for the unknown x by the expression x = y + 1, because substituting y + 1 for x in the equation results in (y + 1) + y = 2 (y + 1) – 1, a true statement. It is also possible to take the ...
is a horizontal line with y-intercept a0. The graph of a degree 1 polynomial (or linear function) f(x) = a0 + a1x, where a1 ≠ 0, is an oblique line with y-intercept a0 and slope a1. The graph of a degree 2 polynomial. f(x) = a0 + a1x + a2x2, where a2 ≠ 0. is a parabola. The graph of a degree 3 polynomial.