What Is the Difference Between Symbolic and Literal Equations?

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Can someone tell me the difference, if there is any, between a symboliuc equation and a literal equation.
 

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Well, this is basically what I am asking. Is a symbolic equation one that has not terms defined like d = vt while a literal equation is one where you insert the values for the symbols, like d = 10m/.sec * 5 seconds?
 
barryj said:
Well, this is basically what I am asking. Is a symbolic equation one that has not terms defined like d = vt while a literal equation is one where you insert the values for the symbols, like d = 10m/.sec * 5 seconds?

One expresses a general mathematical relationship between several different quantities, the other is just an evaluation of that mathematical relationship by plugging in numerical values for each of the variables.
 

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