What is the meaning of argument in the following phrase?

[Femme_physics]

What is the meaning of "argument" in the following phrase?...

Can someone define "argument" in this context? (attached file)

I never heard it before so it confuses me...

 

[micromass]

It looks like the "argument" of the function is just the value to which you apply the function.
If the previous frase sounded confusing: the argument of f(x) is x. So in this case: the argument of sin(3t) is 3t. So you see that there is a coefficient 3 in the argument.

 

[Mark44]

The term "argument" is used heavily in computer programming to describe a value that a function parameter is given when the function is called.

For example, a function might be defined in C as

double power( double x, int exponent)
{
   .
   .
   .
}

In the function definition above, the function parameters are x and exponent. The function would be called like this:

result = power(7.0, 2)

The arguments to this function are 7.0 and 2.

In the attachment, "argument" is used in the same sense.

 

[Femme_physics]

Ah...that clears it. Just the first time I hear it. Thanks :)

 

[uart]

Ah...that clears it. Just the first time I hear it. Thanks :)

Argument of a function in that context is quite a commonly used term.

 

[HallsofIvy]

I once had students ask about using the word "product" to mean the result of a multiplication!