I learned functions just purely as a mathematical concept, but I realised as I studied physics along with it, that it is actually a fundamental concept in the world. But I never really understood the phrase. For example, ‘velocity as a function of time’, yes I get that this would mean a v=tx form of graph, but what does it actually *mean*? Thank you
Edit: I made a mistake previously. I accidentally said ‘time as a function of velocity’
In: Mathematics
it means it depends on it. So my stride length while walking is a function of the length of my legs. When I cook the dryness of what I bake is often a function of the amount of flour in something.
If I had to write a formula then that would be my changing variable, everything else is constant (in the real world things are a function of many things). The speed my car goes at is a function of my pressing on the accelerator, as well as the incline at which I’m travelling.
So for the stereotypical physics/math problem, “two trains heading towards eachother, when do they meet?” is a function of the speed of each train, and the angle of intercept between their courses.
Does that make sense? we could work through an example if you want to look around your room and pick something to explain (the brightness of your screen is function of how much power it is using)
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