Equality (mathematics) in the context of "Approximation"

In mathematics, an equation is a mathematical formula that expresses the equality of two expressions, by connecting them with the equals sign =. The word equation and its cognates in other languages may have subtly different meanings; for example, in French an équation is defined as containing one or more variables, while in English, any well-formed formula consisting of two expressions related with an equals sign is an equation.

Solving an equation containing variables consists of determining which values of the variables make the equality true. The variables for which the equation has to be solved are also called unknowns, and the values of the unknowns that satisfy the equality are called solutions of the equation. There are two kinds of equations: identities and conditional equations. An identity is true for all values of the variables. A conditional equation is only true for particular values of the variables.

In mathematics, a law is a formula that is always true within a given context. Laws describe a relationship, between two or more expressions or terms (which may contain variables), usually using equality or inequality, or between formulas themselves, for instance, in mathematical logic. For example, the formula ${\displaystyle a^{2}\geq 0}$ is true for all real numbers a, and is therefore a law. Laws over an equality are called identities. For example, ${\displaystyle (a+b)^{2}=a^{2}+2ab+b^{2}}$ and ${\displaystyle \cos ^{2}\theta +\sin ^{2}\theta =1}$ are identities. Mathematical laws are distinguished from scientific laws which are based on observations, and try to describe or predict a range of natural phenomena. The more significant laws are often called theorems.

Addition, usually denoted with the plus sign +, is one of the four basic operations of arithmetic, the other three being subtraction, multiplication, and division. The addition of two whole numbers results in the total or sum of those values combined. For example, the adjacent image shows two columns of apples, one with three apples and the other with two apples, totaling to five apples. This observation is expressed as "3 + 2 = 5", which is read as "three plus two equals five".

Besides counting items, addition can also be defined and executed without referring to concrete objects, using abstractions called numbers instead, such as integers, real numbers, and complex numbers. Addition belongs to arithmetic, a branch of mathematics. In algebra, another area of mathematics, addition can also be performed on abstract objects such as vectors, matrices, and elements of additive groups.

In logic, extensionality, or extensional equality, refers to principles that judge objects to be equal if they have the same external properties. It stands in contrast to the concept of intensionality, which is concerned with whether the internal definitions of objects are the same.

In mathematics, a binary relation R on a set X is transitive if, for all elements a, b, c in X, whenever R relates a to b and b to c, then R also relates a to c.

Every partial order and every equivalence relation is transitive. For example, less than and equality among real numbers are both transitive: If a < b and b < c then a < c; and if x = y and y = z then x = z.

In mathematics, a binary relation ${\displaystyle R}$ on a set ${\displaystyle X}$ is reflexive if it relates every element of ${\displaystyle X}$ to itself.

An example of a reflexive relation is the relation "is equal to" on the set of real numbers, since every real number is equal to itself. A reflexive relation is said to have the reflexive property or is said to possess reflexivity. Along with symmetry and transitivity, reflexivity is one of three properties defining equivalence relations.

In logic, a logical constant or constant symbol of a language ${\displaystyle {\mathcal {L}}}$ is a symbol that has the same semantic value under every interpretation of ${\displaystyle {\mathcal {L}}}$. Two important types of logical constants are logical connectives and quantifiers. The equality predicate (usually written '=') is also treated as a logical constant in many systems of logic.

One of the fundamental questions in the philosophy of logic is "What is a logical constant?"; that is, what special feature of certain constants makes them logical in nature?

The equals sign (British English) or equal sign (American English), also known as the equality sign, is the mathematical symbol =, which is used to indicate equality. In an equation it is placed between two expressions that have the same value, or for which one studies the conditions under which they have the same value.

In Unicode and ASCII it has the code point U+003D. It was invented in 1557 by the Welsh mathematician Robert Recorde.