Discriminant

Quick meaning: Discriminant is a noun meaning Serving to discriminate.

Meaning

Serving to discriminate.

More Meanings

1. (geometry) The invariant (on the vector space of forms of degree d in n variables) that vanishes exactly when the corresponding hypersurface in Pⁿ⁻¹ is singular.
2. (algebra) An expression that gives information about the roots of a polynomial; for example, the expression D = b² - 4ac determines whether the roots of the quadratic equation ax² + bx + c = 0 are real and distinct (D > 0), real and equal (D = 0) or complex (D < 0).

Word Forms

• discriminants

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include discriminative, discriminating, discriminate, discriminatory, differential, exponent.

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