PARAMETER
Charles François (2004). PARAMETER, International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(2): 2471.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 2471 ▶ |
| Object type | Methodology or model |
- “Any of the numerical constants which appears in a mathematical expression of relationships among variables” (T.F.H. ALLEN & T.B. STARR, 1982, p.275).
or
- “A variable or an arbitrary constant appearing in a mathematical expression, each value of which restrict or determines the specific form of the expression ”(American Heritage Dicctionary, p.951).
or
- “The input to a system which determines its mode of operation and thus defines what kind it is” (K. KRIPPENDORFF, 1986, p.57).
In a more general, but less precise sense: a determinating factor.
This is what ASHBY expresses in the following way: “Given a system, a variable not included in it is a parameter”(1960, p.71).