differential geometry

(noun)

the study of geometry using differential calculus

Related Terms

  • Euclidean
  • differentiable
  • momentum
  • gross domestic product
  • slope

Examples of differential geometry in the following topics:

  • Differentiation and Rates of Change in the Natural and Social Sciences

    • Differentiation, in essence calculating the rate of change, is important in all quantitative sciences.
    • Given a function $y=f(x)$, differentiation is a method for computing the rate at which a dependent output $y$ changes with respect to the change in the independent input $x$.
    • Equations involving derivatives are called differential equations and are fundamental in describing natural phenomena.
    • Derivatives and their generalizations appear in many fields of mathematics, such as complex analysis, functional analysis, differential geometry, measure theory and abstract algebra.
    • Give examples of differentiation, or rates of change, being used in a variety of academic disciplines
  • Partial Derivatives

    • Partial derivatives are used in vector calculus and differential geometry.
    • Partial differentiation is the act of choosing one of these lines and finding its slope.
  • Tangent Planes and Linear Approximations

    • The concept of a tangent is one of the most fundamental notions in differential geometry and has been extensively generalized.
    • For a surface given by a differentiable multivariable function $z=f(x,y)$, the equation of the tangent plane at $(x_0,y_0,z_0)$ is given as:
  • Arc Length and Speed

    • The arc length can be found using geometry, but for the sake of this atom, we are going to use integration.
  • Conic Sections

    • In analytic geometry, a conic may be defined as a plane algebraic curve of degree 2.
    • In modern geometry, certain degenerate cases—such as the union of two lines—are included as conics as well.
    • In projective geometry, the conic sections in the projective plane are equivalent to each other up to projective transformations.
  • Differentials

    • Differentials are the principal part of the change in a function $y = f(x)$ with respect to changes in the independent variable.
    • The differential $dy$ is defined by:
    • The domain of these variables may take on a particular geometrical significance if the differential is regarded as a particular differential form, or a particular analytical significance if the differential is regarded as a linear approximation to the increment of a function.
    • Higher-order differentials of a function $y = f(x)$ of a single variable $x$ can be defined as follows:
    • Use implicit differentiation to find the derivatives of functions that are not explicitly functions of $x$
  • Models Using Differential Equations

    • Differential equations can be used to model a variety of physical systems.
    • Differential equations are very important in the mathematical modeling of physical systems.
    • Many fundamental laws of physics and chemistry can be formulated as differential equations.
    • In biology and economics, differential equations are used to model the behavior of complex systems.
    • Give examples of systems that can be modeled with differential equations
  • Solving Differential Equations

    • Differential equations are solved by finding the function for which the equation holds true.
    • Differential equations play a prominent role in engineering, physics, economics, and other disciplines.
    • Solving the differential equation means solving for the function $f(x)$.
    • The "order" of a differential equation depends on the derivative of the highest order in the equation.
    • You can see that the differential equation still holds true with this constant.
  • Three-Dimensional Coordinate Systems

    • Also known as analytical geometry, this system is used to describe every point in three dimensional space in three parameters, each perpendicular to the other two at the origin.
  • Nonhomogeneous Linear Equations

    • In the previous atom, we learned that a second-order linear differential equation has the form:
    • When $f(t)=0$, the equations are called homogeneous second-order linear differential equations.
    • In general, the solution of the differential equation can only be obtained numerically.
    • Linear differential equations are differential equations that have solutions which can be added together to form other solutions.
    • Identify when a second-order linear differential equation can be solved analytically
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