posted
The inflection point, I think, is what you may be thinking of. Where the 2nd derivative equals zero turning from positive to negative (the function switches concave to convex or vice versa). I don't think the slope actually has to equal one at that point, just a constant though. For example: f(x)=x^3 f'(x)= 3x^2 f''(x)= 6x
In this case when the second deriviative equals zero, the first derivative (the slope) also equals zero.
posted
dkw, I don't think you have given enough context. If the slope wasn't increasing, it would be linear. If you mean the point in a curve where the values of f(x) increase drastically for small changes x, that would be an assymptote.
I don't think that there is any particular name for those types of points.
posted
Not inflection point. I mean a curve where the slope keeps increasing (the curve stays concave). The point before which the rise is less than the run and after which the rise is greater than the run.
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
I can't think of a name for it. That's not to say there isn't one. I can ask one of my math friends tonight though. However on any function, it would be easy to find the point, named or not. All you do is set the first derivative to one.
posted
Yeah, I know how to find it. But I really think there should be a name for it. It's a very important point in this particular graph. Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
You know I bet there's a name for it in economics terms. In fact I'm sure there's a name for it in economics, but I can't remember it.
Posts: 11265 | Registered: Mar 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Jerk doesn't do anything here, because you can have a point like dkw is describing on an equation as simple as x^2 where the 4th derivative is clearly zero.
posted
It is apparently called "precipitation transition" if you're graphing rainfall - aquifer recharging. I got all excited and then I realized that that was a content-specific term.
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
dkw, I suspect you will only find particular names given to that point in applied mathematics. I don't know that it is as meaningful a point in "pure" mathematics.
How am I supposed to write mushy love letters when mathematicians won't make up the words I need?
I don’t suppose anyone knows what the discipline-specific term would be in traffic safety research?
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
| IP: Logged |
quote: How am I supposed to write mushy love letters when mathematicians won't make up the words I need?
Just make up your own jargon, (preferably in this case with a sexy acronym.) That's what mathematicians do. Sometimes it catches on.
Posts: 6316 | Registered: Jun 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote: It is apparently called "precipitation transition" if you're graphing rainfall - aquifer recharging. I got all excited and then I realized that that was a content-specific term.
Hey! A term I actually know!
Posts: 9538 | Registered: Aug 2003
| IP: Logged |
Letter written. Thanks AJ. And thanks kaioshin. Turning this into a pun thread makes it somehow complete.
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
| IP: Logged |
quote:Banna, I thought that too, but it appears that the strict defn of inflection point is where the slope changes signs.
This is not true (in other words, you were right ). See, for example, http://mathworld.wolfram.com/InflectionPoint.html for the correct definition. The wikipedia page is incorrect, or at least misleading; the confusion, it seems, is that some stationary points are inflection points, but there exist stationary points that are not inflection points and inflection points that are not stationary points.
Posts: 1810 | Registered: Jan 1999
| IP: Logged |
The pointe of developing housing with cutesy names?
Oh, heard a good joke: What do you get if you cross a pointer and a setter? A: A pointsetter -- a popular dog around the holidays.
Posts: 22497 | Registered: Sep 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Is it bad that when I read your joke I thought a "pointsetter" would be a tool, like a nail set, and wondered why it would be more popular around the holidays than other times of year? Was actively trying to figure it out what it would be used for before it clicked.
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Embarrassed]](redface.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[ROFL]](graemlins/rofl.gif)
![[Wave]](graemlins/wave.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
). See, for example, ![[Taunt]](graemlins/taunt.gif)
