In mathematics, statistics, and the mathematical sciences, a parameter (G: auxiliary measure) is a quantity that serves to relate functions and variables using a common variable when such a relationship would be difficult to explicate with an equation. In different contexts, the term may have special uses. Parameter- is a computation from data values recorded- but it is not actually a data value recorded from a subject. Example: for a population of test scores, a parameter would not be an actual score, but perhaps an average computed from all scores, or a percent computed from all scores.

Noun

parameter (plural parameters)

1. (mathematics, physics) A variable kept constant during an experiment, calculation or similar.
2. (programming) A name in a function or subroutine definition that is replaced by, or bound to, the corresponding actual argument when the function or subroutine is called: a formal parameter.

   Roughly, a tuple of arguments could be thought of as a vector, whereas a tuple of parameters could be thought of as a covector (i.e., linear functional). When a function is called, a parameter tuple becomes "bound" to an argument tuple, allowing the function instance itself to be computed to yield a return value. This would be roughly analogous to applying a covector to a vector (by taking their dot product (or, rather, matrix-product of row vector and column vector)) to obtain a scalar.

3. (programming) The value which is passed into the function to instantiate such a name; the argument or actual parameter.
4. A characteristic or feature that distinguishes something from others

Usage notes

• (the value used to instantiate the name): Some authors regard use of parameter to mean argument as imprecise, preferring that parameter refers only to the name that will be instantiated, and argument to refer to the value that will be used to instantiate it at runtime.

Matching Results for Parameter:

John von Neumann
In mathematics you don't understand things. You just get used to them.

Nathaniel Borenstein
Basic professional ethics would instead require him to write a DestroyCity procedure, to which Baghdad could be given as a parameter." [Footnote in a paper about ...

Dollhouse (TV series)
This person corrupted the imprint while the programmer wasn't looking, added this parameter. Paul: Is this the person that sent me the tapes and the picture?

	New Location:
city:
state/region:
country:

Science: Math: Chaos and Fractals: Software ...
Fractal Tutorial for Tiera-Zon - Introduction to fractal art for those who wish ... Includes sample parameter files. "Tutorials" search on: Alta Vista ...

---

World: Deutsch: Sport: Radsport: Wissenschaft
Smart-Crank Pedalsystem - Bericht A ber ein Forschungsproje kt zum Einfluss des Smart-Crank Pedalsystems auf Parameter der Kraft- und Ausdauerleistun gs ...

---

Computers: Software: Operating Systems: Mac ...
SPINA: Structure Parameter Inference Approach - Cybernetic method to calculate constant structure parameters of endocrine feedback control systems ...