numerical analysis

noun

Meaning

The study of algorithms that use numerical approximation to solve problems in continuous mathematics, often when exact analytical solutions are impossible or too difficult to compute.

Examples

  • Numerical analysis allows scientists to model climate change patterns that would be impossible to solve with pen and paper.
  • Students in the computer science department must complete a course in numerical analysis to understand how floating-point errors affect their code.

Synonyms: computation, numerical methods, scientific computing, mathematical modeling