- Indeterminate (variable)
In
mathematics , more precisely inalgebra , an indeterminate is a quantity that is not known, and cannot be solved for. An indeterminate is different from avariable , which is solvable, at least conditionally, from a givenequation or set of equations. To make this distinction in an example, compare these two situations.1. Let x be a "variable" such that :2+3x=a+bx, where a and b are some
rational number s. Then, we can solve for x, to find:x=(a-2)/(3-b).
Any values of a and b with b not 3 will yield a value for x.
2. Let x be an "indeterminate" such that :2+3x=a+bx, where a and b are again rational numbers. Since x cannot be solved for, we must have 2=a and 3=b.
ee also
*
Indeterminate system
*Polynomial
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