differential
IPA: dɪfɝˈɛnʃʌɫ
noun
- The differential gear in an automobile, etc.
- A qualitative or quantitative difference between similar or comparable things.
- One of two coils of conducting wire so related to one another or to a magnet or armature common to both, that one coil produces polar action contrary to that of the other.
- A form of conductor used for dividing and distributing the current to a series of electric lamps so as to maintain equal action in all.
- (calculus) A quantity representing an infinitesimal change in a variable, now only used as a heuristic aid except in nonstandard analysis but considered rigorous until the 20th century; a fluxion in Newtonian calculus, now usually written in Leibniz's notation as operatorname d!x.
- (calculus, of a univariate differentiable function f(x)) A function giving the change in the linear approximation of f at a point x over a small interval Δx or operatorname d!x, the function being called the differential of f and denoted operatorname d!f(x,Δx), operatorname d!f(x), or simply operatorname d!f.
- Any of several generalizations of this concept to functions of several variables or to higher orders: the partial differential, total differential, Gateaux differential, etc.
- (multivariable calculus) The Jacobian matrix of a function of several variables.
- (differential geometry, of a smooth map ϕ between smooth manifolds) The pushforward or total derivative of ϕ: a linear map from the tangent space at a point x in ϕ's domain to the tangent space at ϕ(x) which is, in a technical sense, the best linear approximation of ϕ at x; denoted operatorname d!ϕₓ.
- (mathematics) Any of several generalizations of the concept(s) above: e.g. the Kähler differential in the setting of schemes, the quadratic differential in the theory of Riemann surfaces, etc.
adjective
- Of or pertaining to a difference.
- Dependent on, or making a difference; distinctive.
- Having differences in speed or direction of motion.
- (mathematics) Of or pertaining to differentiation or the differential calculus.
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Examples of "differential" in Sentences
- This leads me to suspect that the cost differential is due to:
- I would say that the least promising source of the differential is valued added from college education.
- But at least price differential is better reflection of the respective quality of both wines then very close RP score.
- The Nail-Biters The World Series teams since 1995 that had the smallest win differential in the first two rounds of the postseason.
- To give a personal example, I did extremely poorly in differential equations courses in engineering, and did so-so in other math courses.
- The true differential is that the so-called “right to vote” is actaully a privilege conferred on the individual by the soceity/government.
- The true differential is that the so-called “right to vote” is actaully [sic] a privilege conferred on the individual by the soceity/government [sic].
- In what way did my doing poorly in differential equations — or for that matter doing extremely well in computer programming or nuclear engineering or whatever — relate to the skills needed to succeed in law school?
- This contradicts one of baseball's well-respected analytical statistics called Pythagorean Expectation, a measure developed by stat guru Bill James that says a team's run differential is a good determinant for what its winning percentage should be.
- Put me down as another Pell Grant recipient who has returned several times the value of the grants in differential taxes (i.e. additional taxes paid due to the difference in income between my professional salary and the dead-end job I would probably have had I not gone to college.)
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