# B Names of elements of any equation

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1. Jun 9, 2017

### pairofstrings

Hello.
I came across a Quadratic Equation that looks like this.
5x2 + 4x + 9 = 0.
1. The '5' in the above equation is called Quadratic Coefficient.
2. The '4' in the above equation is called Linear Coefficient.
3. The '9' in the above equation is called Constant.
4. The 'x' in the above equation is called Variable.
5. The '2' in the above equation is called Power.
But if I assume a Trigonometric Equation like this.
y = 4 sin(x) + 4 cos2x(x)
1. What is sine called which has coefficient of '4'?
2. What is 'x' called which is seen in first term and second term of the equation?
3. What is 'y'?
4. What do I Google to find the names of the elements associated with any equation?
5. Are there any more names that are used for the elements of any equation when I talk mathematics?

Thank you.

Last edited: Jun 9, 2017
2. Jun 9, 2017

### Math_QED

Sorry to tell you this, but these are things that actually really don't matter. Giving everything a specific name defeats the purpose of mathematics being a language on its own. But if you really want to know:

- x is a variable
- y is a function of x, this means, for each x that I fill in I have a unique y
- no idea what the coefficient with a sine is called. If we have something like y = Asinx then A is called amplitude, but here there is the disturbing $4cos^{2x}(x)$ term as well

3. Jun 9, 2017

### pairofstrings

Does it mean that Mathematics is work of humans and for a mysterious reason it works?

My question is:

If I want to talk about any mathematical equation then the only words any equation can be described by is coefficient, variable, constant, power?

How do I describe presence of Sine function or Integral or Derivative in any equation?

I have a belief that a mathematical equation can contain various constructs of Trigonometry, Integrals, Derivatives in the same equation at once - in such case how do I convey the meaning of the equation or describe the equation to the second person?

Is it valid to have constructs from multiple areas of mathematics in one statement - it may describe something, right?

Last edited: Jun 9, 2017
4. Jun 9, 2017

### Staff: Mentor

Power applies only when some variable or other expression is raised to some power (has an exponent).
The equation pretty much describes itself. There's no need that I can see for a special word to describe this.
Tell the other person the equation. That should be sufficient.
An equation can involve trig functions, derivatives, integrals, radicals, fractions, whatever.

5. Jun 9, 2017

### Staff: Mentor

Just say "sine of whatever", "integral of whatever" and so on.

"Prefactor" is a more general name for constants that are in a product with something else, e. g. the 4 in $4 \cos^2(x)$.

6. Jun 10, 2017

### pairofstrings

1.
Is it correct to say that "sin(x) is trigonometric function which has a coefficient '4'"?

2.
y = ∫x dy/dx + x sin(x) dy/dx
How do I talk about first term and second term?
For the above equation, can I say that: First term has Integral Derivative of 'x' with respect to 'x', second term has Derivative of Trigonometric function sin(x) with respect to 'x' which is multiplied with variable 'x'?

3.
y = ∫x dy/dx + x sin(x) dy/dx
What umbrella name can dy/dx or sin(x) carry?

I am aware of words: Coefficient, Variable, Constant - these can describe the equation. But if I have an umbrella name for dy/dx and sin(x) then I can add that name to the catalog, which can now become Coefficient, Variable, Constant, Umbrella name?

What could that Umbrella name be?

I think that the Umbrella name can be Concept.

Last edited: Jun 10, 2017
7. Jun 10, 2017

### jbriggs444

Do concepts require names?

8. Jun 10, 2017

### Staff: Mentor

Call them "first term" and "second term".
The integral is ill-defined, by the way.

Don't spend time on naming things. This is not mathematics.

9. Jun 10, 2017

### Staff: Mentor

+1

10. Jun 10, 2017

### pairofstrings

Okay. I agree that having lot of names to describe something is stressful but on the other side I think that knowing the vocabulary of Mathematics will make my Mathematics stronger. No?

I think that I can assume that something called 'Permutation and Combination' a Concept because it lets Mathematics speak about something. No?
Am I stretching the word Concept too far?

Firstly, I doubt if the word 'Concept' can be used to convey Sine and dy/dx as Umbrella name because the words Coefficient, Variable, Constant can also be called Concepts or Supporting Concepts(?) when used with Sine or dy/dx.

Last edited: Jun 10, 2017
11. Jun 10, 2017

### symbolipoint

This discussion reminds me of learning Grammar, and the names of the "parts of speech". The instruction that comes in Learning of Mathematics includes the terminology of the parts of what you study. This terminology helps in communicating. It is a moderately stressed thing but should not seem stressful.

12. Jun 11, 2017

### Staff: Mentor

Overall, probably not. It's helpful in being able to communicate when describing an equation, but the vocabulary is not as important in actually doing the mathematics. This is a point that has already been made.
What's the point of calling, say, Permuation and Combination a concept? "Concept" is such a broad word as to be nearly meaningless here.
If you want umbrella terms, the sine function is one of several trigonometry functions. The terms coefficient, variable, and constant are terminology used in describing parts of an expression. Instead of calling "sine" and "dy/dx" concepts, it's more useful, IMO, to call them what they are: trig function and derivative, respectively.

In response to this question you have in post #1.
1. There is not a special name that I am aware of.
2. x is the independent variable.
3. y is the dependent variable. Its value depends on the value of x.
4. For the questions you're asking, there probably aren't very many special names, so trying to find them on the web will probably be fruitless. However, you might look up the terms "monomial" and "polynomial," which describe expressions made up of one term (monomial) or more than one term (polynomial).
5. Look up the terms that are used in basic algebra, such as monomial, binomial, trinomial, polynomial. The taxonomy doesn't usually go much beyond this.

13. Jun 11, 2017

### pairofstrings

Thank you for the response.

What should it be called?

14. Jun 11, 2017

### jbriggs444

What is the point of calling them anything? Perhaps Shakespeare said it best...

15. Jun 11, 2017

### pairofstrings

I think humanity is moving forward because of the act of giving names. This statement can be explained much better by looking at why we give version numbers to a software.

Like: We make a statement and say something about it. Then we make another statement which is better than before and again we say something about it and then we make a statement and say something about it. This cycle continues, I think. This or if someone have secretly proved P versus NP to be true?

16. Jun 12, 2017

### Staff: Mentor

In light of your original question, your comment here doesn't make much sense. You seem to be focussed on a taxonomy that doesn't exist because it isn't needed.

As you have been told by several members in this thread, much of what you're asking about really doesn't matter, and does nothing to "move humanity forward."