'Indeterminate quantity' definitions:

Definition of 'Indeterminate quantity'

From: GCIDE
  • Indeterminate \In`de*ter"mi*nate\, a. [L. indeterminatus.] Not determinate; not certain or fixed; indefinite; not precise; as, an indeterminate number of years. --Paley. [1913 Webster]
  • Indeterminate analysis (Math.), that branch of analysis which has for its object the solution of indeterminate problems.
  • Indeterminate coefficients (Math.), coefficients arbitrarily assumed for convenience of calculation, or to facilitate some artifice of analysis. Their values are subsequently determined.
  • Indeterminate equation (Math.), an equation in which the unknown quantities admit of an infinite number of values, or sets of values. A group of equations is indeterminate when it contains more unknown quantities than there are equations.
  • Indeterminate inflorescence (Bot.), a mode of inflorescence in which the flowers all arise from axillary buds, the terminal bud going on to grow and sometimes continuing the stem indefinitely; -- called also {acropetal inflorescence}, botryose inflorescence, {centripetal inflorescence}, and indefinite inflorescence. --Gray.
  • Indeterminate problem (Math.), a problem which admits of an infinite number of solutions, or one in which there are fewer imposed conditions than there are unknown or required results.
  • Indeterminate quantity (Math.), a quantity which has no fixed value, but which may be varied in accordance with any proposed condition.
  • Indeterminate series (Math.), a series whose terms proceed by the powers of an indeterminate quantity, sometimes also with indeterminate exponents, or indeterminate coefficients. -- {In`de*ter"mi*nate*ly} adv. -- {In`de*ter"mi*nate*ness}, n. [1913 Webster]