Differential

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Differential may refer to:

Contents

[edit] Medicine

  • Differential diagnosis refers to the characterization of the underlying cause of pathological states based on specific tests.

[edit] Mathematics

  • Differential (calculus), multiple related meanings in calculus and differential geometry, such as an infinitesimal change in the value of a function
See also derivative, differential calculus.

[edit] Natural sciences and engineering

[edit] Social sciences

[edit] Other uses

The word differential is also used in many fields as an adjective to refer to differences, particularly those of a variable or continuous nature. Examples include differential hardening in metallurgy, differential rotation in astronomy, differential centrifugation in cell biology, differential scanning calorimetry in materials science, differential signalling in communications, differential algebra in mathematics, differential execution in computer science, and differential GPS technology.