February 5th, 2009 posted by Bender Rodríguez
I am brushing up on my algebra in anticipation of the up coming Praxis I and II exams. Needless to say, I have forgotten many things. Some things I know, but do not remember the exact terminology. For example, take "Coefficient". I had a vague idea about what a coefficient is, but wanted to find a more adequate description than I found in my tutorial. So I googled the term, as I usually do in such circumstances. First entry, WikiPedia. Now I generally approve of WikiPedia and use it often and relay on it for much of the knowledge I have gleamed over the past 10 years of so. It truly is a great resources, but it can let you down from time to time. Like this time for example. Here is their one line definition of "coefficient":
"In mathematics, a coefficient is a constant multiplicative factor of a certain object."
Say what? I read on, but it did not clarify things, so I went back and consulted the respected source of Wolfram Mathematics. His definition:
"A multiplicative factor (usually indexed) such as one of the constants a_i in the polynomial a_nx^n+a_(n-1)x^(n-1)+...+a_2x^2+a_1x+a_0."
What da fuck? Why do these math people try to make things so difficult? Mr. Wolfram's site was proceeded in google's results by one called "Math Wiz", which I had never heard of and ignored on first glance. My first two trusted sources having let me down, I braved uncharted territories and clicked on the Math Wiz link. Fugly as hell the site was, but succinct and to point was their definition:
"A coefficient is a number in front of a variable."
Totally sweet and just want I needed.
"In the youth of a state arms do flourish; in the middle age of a state, learning; and then both of them together for a time; in the declining age of a state, mechanical arts and merchandise."
Francis Bacon