calculus of variations

noun phrase

: a branch of mathematics concerned with applying the methods of calculus to finding the maxima and minima of a function which depends for its values on another function or a curve

Examples of calculus of variations in a Sentence

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Euler’s method of discretization eventually evolved into the powerful calculus of variations, which served as the standard for solving optimization problems until about the 1960s. Nazareth Bedrossian, IEEE Spectrum, 31 Oct. 2012

Word History

First Known Use

1784, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of calculus of variations was in 1784

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Cite this Entry

“Calculus of variations.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calculus%20of%20variations. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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