Order of a differential equation Updated 2025-07-16
Order of the highest derivative that appears.
Phase space Updated 2025-07-16
This idea comes up particularly in the phase space coordinate of Hamiltonian mechanics.
Control theory Updated 2025-07-16
This basically adds one more ingredient to partial differential equations: a function that we can select.
And then the question becomes: if this function has such and such limitation, can we make the solution of the differential equation have such and such property?
It's quite fun from a mathematics point of view!
Control theory also takes into consideration possible discretization of the domain, which allows using numerical methods to solve partial differential equations, as well as digital, rather than analogue control methods.
Chain rule Updated 2025-07-16
Here's an example of the chain rule. Suppose we want to calculate:
So we have:
and so:
Therefore the final result is:
Maxima and minima Updated 2025-07-16
Given a function :
we want to find the points of the domain of where the value of is smaller (for minima, or larger for maxima) than all other points in some neighbourhood of .
In the case of Functionals, this problem is treated under the theory of the calculus of variations.
Total derivative Updated 2025-07-16
The total derivative of a function assigns for every point of the domain a linear map with same domain, which is the best linear approximation to the function value around this point, i.e. the tangent plane.
E.g. in 1D:
and in 2D:
Vacuum flask Updated 2025-07-16
Patreon Updated 2025-07-16
Simulation Updated 2025-07-16

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