Last edited one month ago
by Peter Riegler

Dependent variable vs name of function



Description of bottleneck

In mathematics and in particual in the STEM disciplines one often does not symbolically distinguish the name of a function and its dependent variable.

For example, the time dependence (independent variable, symbolized by <math>t</math>) of an electrical charge <math>q</math> (dependent variable, symbolized by <math>q</math>) might be described by a certain function <math>f(t)</math>, i.e. <math>q = f(t)</math>. Here different symbols have been used for the dependent variable <math>q</math> and the functional relationship <math>f</math> (between <math>t</math> and </q>). It is, however, customary to conflate this and to use <math> q</math> to do denote both dependent variable and functional relationship. This results in the using the experession <math>q(t)</math>.

Interestingly this possible Bottleneck was revealed during an Decoding interview on students' difficulties with describing piecewise defined functions. The interviewers got confused by interviewees simultaneous usage of a symbol as the independent variable of a function and as the name of the functional relation.

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Peter Riegler