Variables definition in Euler's introduction to analysis

[elliti123]

In his book, Euler gives the definition of a variable to be : "A variable quantity is an indeterminate or universal quantity, which includes within itself all completely determined values." What does he mean exactly in the last part of the sentence?

 

[Samy_A]

If I interpret the German original correctly, he means that a variable can represent any value, and by value he means a number.

The "completely determined values" are the constants defined in the preceding paragraph.

In the following page he explains that a variable has an undetermined value, until by computation you can assign it a determined value (including complex values).

http://gdz.sub.uni-goettingen.de/dms/load/img/?PPN=PPN379242303&DMDID=DMDLOG_0007