Nonlinear

4 definitions found

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

  nonlinear \nonlinear\ adj.
     1. (Math.) Not depictable graphically as a straight line; not
        changing by a constant amount for each unit of time,
        distance, or other independent variable. Opposite of
        {linear}.
        [WordNet 1.5 +PJC]


  
     2. (Math.) Containing variables of greater than the first
        degree; -- of an equation. Opposite of {linear}.
        [PJC]
  
     3. (Physics) Represented by equations containing variables of
        greater than the first degree; -- of physical processes or
        relationships. Opposite of {linear}.
        [PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  nonlinear
       adj : designating or involving an equation whose terms are not of
             the first degree [ant: {linear}]

From Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001) [jargon]:

  nonlinear adj. [scientific computation] 1. Behaving in an erratic and
     unpredictable fashion; unstable. When used to describe the behavior of a
     machine or program, it suggests that said machine or program is being
     forced to run far outside of design specifications. This behavior may be
     induced by unreasonable inputs, or may be triggered when a more mundane
     bug sends the computation far off from its expected course. 2. When
     describing the behavior of a person, suggests a tantrum or a {flame}.
     "When you talk to Bob, don't mention the drug problem or he'll go
     nonlinear for hours." In this context, `go nonlinear' connotes `blow up
     out of proportion' (proportion connotes linearity).
  
  

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  nonlinear
       
          (Scientific computation) A property of a system whose output
          is not proportional to its input.  For example, a {transistor}
          has a region of input voltages for which its output voltage is
          found by multiplying the input voltage by the gain of the
          transistor.  Outside this region though, the transistor
          behaves non-linearly, meaning that it does not obey this
          simple equation.  The behaviour of a system containing
          non-linear components is thus harder to model and to predict.
       
          [{Jargon File}]