Computer algebra
Symbolic expression
An expression that retains variables and mathematical operations.
Definition
Symbolic expression
A symbolic expression represents mathematical structure without assigning a numerical value to every variable.
A computer algebra system can transform the structure according to algebraic rules. The result can describe every permitted value of the variable at once.
01
Example
x² + 2x + 1 is a symbolic expression and can be factored as (x + 1)².
02
Important distinction
The decimal value 3.14159 is numerical data, not a symbolic expression for an exact value.
After reading this article, you should be able to
- Define Symbolic expression in the sense used on this site.
- Distinguish symbolic computation from evaluation at one numerical input.