Parameters

In mathematical science, a parameter is a certain amount that determines the characteristics of a particular function or system. When determining the function through a domain or evaluating the response of a system, independent variables are subject to change as the parameters remain the same. The particular function or system can then be processed again using different parameters, prompting different behavior in a function or system. In the field of engineering, a parameter is loosely considered to be the individual measurement of a particular item. For instance, a data recorder may record many different items, all defined by a single parameter. The results and usage usually are not consistent in this sense as the term Channel may also represent the individual measurement of an item. In computer science, parameters may also be called arguments. Programming such as the C language actually defines the term argument as a parameter; it defines parameter as formal parameter.