Gradient what is

A negative gradient means that the line slopes downwards. It is often useful or necessary to find out what the gradient of a graph is. For a straight-line graph, pick two points on the graph. We can, of course, use this to find the equation of the line. To find the gradient of a curve, you must draw an accurate sketch of the curve. At the point where you need to know the gradient, draw a tangent to the curve.

A tangent is a straight line which touches the curve at one point only. You then find the gradient of this tangent. Log in Sign Up. Save Word. Definition of gradient. Synonyms Did you know? Example Sentences Learn More About gradient. Synonyms for gradient Synonyms cant , diagonal , grade , inclination , incline , lean , pitch , rake , slant , slope , upgrade Visit the Thesaurus for More. Did you know? Examples of gradient in a Sentence the path goes up at a pretty steep gradient before leveling off.

Recent Examples on the Web Hence the need to steepen the gradient of quality vaccines to overcome this resistance. First Known Use of gradient , in the meaning defined at sense 1a. History and Etymology for gradient Latin gradient-, gradiens , present participle of gradi. Learn More About gradient. Time Traveler for gradient The first known use of gradient was in See more words from the same year.

Style: MLA. English Language Learners Definition of gradient. From the Thames to the Tiber J. Also called esp US : grade a part of a railway, road, etc, that slopes upwards or downwards; inclination. Also called esp US and Canadian : grade a measure of such a slope, esp the ratio of the vertical distance between two points on the slope to the horizontal distance between them.

The rate at which a physical quantity, such as temperature or pressure, changes relative to change in a given variable, especially distance. A series of progressively increasing or decreasing differences in the growth rate, metabolism, or physiological activity of a cell, an organ, or an organism.

Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. The degree to which something inclines; a slope. A mountain road with a gradient of ten percent rises one foot for every ten feet of horizontal length. The rate at which a physical quantity, such as temperature or pressure changes over a distance. A operator on scalar fields yielding a vector function, where the value of the vector evaluated at any point indicates the direction and degree of change of the field at that point.

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