Equation

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Equation \E*qua"tion\, n. [L. aequatio an equalizing: cf. F.
     ['e]quation equation. See {Equate}.]
     1. A making equal; equal division; equality; equilibrium.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Again the golden day resumed its right,


              And ruled in just equation with the night. --Rowe.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Math.) An expression of the condition of equality between
        two algebraic quantities or sets of quantities, the sign =
        being placed between them; as, a binomial equation; a
        quadratic equation; an algebraic equation; a
        transcendental equation; an exponential equation; a
        logarithmic equation; a differential equation, etc.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Astron.) A quantity to be applied in computing the mean
        place or other element of a celestial body; that is, any
        one of the several quantities to be added to, or taken
        from, its position as calculated on the hypothesis of a
        mean uniform motion, in order to find its true position as
        resulting from its actual and unequal motion.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Absolute equation}. See under {Absolute}.
  
     {Equation box}, or {Equational box}, a system of differential
        gearing used in spinning machines for regulating the twist
        of the yarn. It resembles gearing used in equation clocks
        for showing apparent time.
  
     {Equation of the center} (Astron.), the difference between
        the place of a planet as supposed to move uniformly in a
        circle, and its place as moving in an ellipse.
  
     {Equations of condition} (Math.), equations formed for
        deducing the true values of certain quantities from others
        on which they depend, when different sets of the latter,
        as given by observation, would yield different values of
        the quantities sought, and the number of equations that
        may be found is greater than the number of unknown
        quantities.
  
     {Equation of a curve} (Math.), an equation which expresses
        the relation between the co["o]rdinates of every point in
        the curve.
  
     {Equation of equinoxes} (Astron.), the difference between the
        mean and apparent places of the equinox.
  
     {Equation of payments} (Arith.), the process of finding the
        mean time of payment of several sums due at different
        times.
  
     {Equation of time} (Astron.), the difference between mean and
        apparent time, or between the time of day indicated by the
        sun, and that by a perfect clock going uniformly all the
        year round.
  
     {Equation clock} or {Equation watch}, a timepiece made to
        exhibit the differences between mean solar and apparent
        solar time. --Knight.
  
     {Normal equation}. See under {Normal}.
  
     {Personal equation} (Astron.), the difference between an
        observed result and the true qualities or peculiarities in
        the observer; particularly the difference, in an average
        of a large number of observation, between the instant when
        an observer notes a phenomenon, as the transit of a star,
        and the assumed instant of its actual occurrence; or,
        relatively, the difference between these instants as noted
        by two observers. It is usually only a fraction of a
        second; -- sometimes applied loosely to differences of
        judgment or method occasioned by temperamental qualities
        of individuals.
  
     {Theory of equations} (Math.), the branch of algebra that
        treats of the properties of a single algebraic equation of
        any degree containing one unknown quantity.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  equation
       n 1: a mathematical statement that two expressions are equal
       2: a state of being essentially equal or equivalent; equally
          balanced; "on a par with the best" [syn: {equality}, {equivalence},
           {par}]
       3: the act of regarding as equal [syn: {equating}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  93 Moby Thesaurus words for "equation":
     accommodation, addend, adjustment, antilogarithm, argument,
     balance, base, binomial, characteristic, coefficient, coequality,
     coextension, combination, complement, congruence, constant,
     coordination, correspondence, cosine, cotangent, cube, decimal,
     denominator, derivative, determinant, difference, differential,
     discriminate, dividend, divisor, e, equality, equalization,
     equalizing, equating, equilibration, equilibrium, equipoise,
     equipollence, equiponderance, equity, equivalence, equivalency,
     evening, evening up, evenness, exponent, exponential, factor,
     formula, function, i, identity, increment, index, integral,
     integration, justice, levelness, likeness, matrix, minuend,
     multiple, multiplier, norm, numerator, par, parallelism, parameter,
     parity, permutation, pi, poise, polynomial, power, proportion,
     quaternion, quotient, radical, radix, reciprocal, remainder, root,
     secant, sine, submultiple, subtrahend, symmetry, tangent, tensor,
     variable, vector, versine