Formula

A Formula is a concise expression that expresses information symbolically.

• Example(s):
  • a Mathematical Formula, such as a chain rule.
  • a Chemical Formula.
• See: Formal Language, Volume, Sphere, Integral Calculus, Method of Exhaustion, Radius, Algebraic Expression, Closed-Form Expression, Analytical Expression.

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References

2014

• (Wikipedia, 2014) ⇒ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/formula Retrieved:2014-8-24.
  • In science, a formula is a concise way of expressing information symbolically as in a mathematical or chemical formula. The informal use of the term formula in science refers to the general construct of a relationship between given quantities. The plural of formula can be spelled either as formulas or formulae (from the original Latin).

    In mathematics, a formula is an entity constructed using the symbols and formation rules of a given logical language. For example, determining the volume of a sphere requires a significant amount of integral calculus or its geometrical analogue, the method of exhaustion; but, having done this once, mathematicians can produce a formula to describe the volume in terms of some other parameter (the radius for example). This particular formula is:

    Having obtained this result, and knowing the radius of the sphere in question, we can quickly and easily determine its volume. Note that the volume V and the radius r are expressed as single letters instead of words or phrases. This convention, while less important in a relatively simple formula, means that mathematicians can more quickly manipulate larger and more complex formulas. Mathematical formulas are often algebraic, closed form, and/or analytical. In modern chemistry, a chemical formula is a way of expressing information about the proportions of atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound, using a single line of chemical element symbols, numbers, and sometimes other symbols, such as parentheses, brackets, and plus (+) and minus (−) signs. For example, H₂O is the chemical formula for water, specifying that each molecule consists of two hydrogen (H) atoms and one oxygen (O) atom. Similarly, Odenotes an ozone molecule consisting of three oxygen atoms and having a net negative charge. In a general context, formulas are applied to provide a mathematical solution for real world problems. Some may be general: , which is one expression of Newton's second law, is applicable to a wide range of physical situations. Other formulas may be specially created to solve a particular problem; for example, using the equation of a sine curve to model the movement of the tides in a bay. In all cases, however, formulas form the basis for all calculations. Expressions are distinct from formulas in that they cannot contain an equals sign (=). Whereas formulas are comparable to sentences, expressions are more like phrases.

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