Parameter vs. Variable

Parameter vs. Variable — Is There a Difference?
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Difference Between Parameter and Variable

Parameternoun

A value kept constant during an experiment, equation, calculation or similar, but varied over other versions of the experiment, equation, calculation, etc.

Variableadjective

Able to vary.

variable winds or seasons; a variable quantity

Parameternoun

(sciences) a variable that describes some system (material, object, event etc.) or some aspect thereof

Variableadjective

Likely to vary.

Parameternoun

(programming) An input variable of a procedure definition, that gets an actual value (argument) at execution time (formal parameter).

Roughly, a tuple of arguments could be thought of as a vector, whereas a tuple of parameters could be thought of as a covector (i.e., linear functional). When a function is called, a parameter tuple becomes "bound" to an argument tuple, allowing the function instance itself to be computed to yield a return value. This would be roughly analogous to applying a covector to a vector (by taking their dot product (or, rather, matrix-product of row vector and column vector)) to obtain a scalar.

Variableadjective

Marked by diversity or difference.

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Parameternoun

(programming) An actual value given to such a formal parameter (argument or actual parameter).

Variableadjective

(mathematics) Having no fixed quantitative value.

Parameternoun

A characteristic or feature that distinguishes something from others.

Variableadjective

(biology) Tending to deviate from a normal or recognized type.

Parameternoun

(geometry) In the ellipse and hyperbola, a third proportional to any diameter and its conjugate, or in the parabola, to any abscissa and the corresponding ordinate.

The parameter of the principal axis of a conic section is called the latus rectum.

Variablenoun

Something that is variable.

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Parameternoun

(crystallography) The ratio of the three crystallographic axes which determines the position of any plane.

Variablenoun

Something whose value may be dictated or discovered.

There are several variables to consider here.

Parameternoun

(crystallography) The fundamental axial ratio for a given species.

Variablenoun

(mathematics) A quantity that may assume any one of a set of values.

Parameternoun

a constant in the equation of a curve that can be varied to yield a family of similar curves

Variablenoun

(mathematics) A symbol representing a variable.

Parameternoun

any factor that defines a system and determines (or limits) its performance

Variablenoun

(programming) A named memory location in which a program can store intermediate results and from which it can read them.

Parameternoun

a quantity (such as the mean or variance) that characterizes a statistical population and that can be estimated by calculations from sample data

Variablenoun

(astronomy) A variable star.

Variablenoun

(nautical) A shifting wind, or one that varies in force.

Variablenoun

Those parts of the sea where a steady wind is not expected, especially the parts between the trade-wind belts.

Variablenoun

something that is likely to vary; something that is subject to variation;

the weather is one variable to be considered

Variablenoun

a quantity that can assume any of a set of values

Variablenoun

a star that varies noticeably in brightness

Variablenoun

a symbol (like x or y) that is used in mathematical or logical expressions to represent a variable quantity

Variableadjective

liable to or capable of change;

rainfall in the tropics is notoriously variablevariable windsvariable expenses

Variableadjective

marked by diversity or difference;

the varying angles of roof slopenature is infinitely variable

Variableadjective

(used of a device) designed so that a property (as e.g. light) can be varied;

a variable capacitorvariable filters in front of the mercury xenon lights