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Initial Conditions

Definition

Initial conditions refer to the values or states of a system at the starting point of a problem or scenario. They are used to determine the specific solution or behavior of the system.

Analogy

Think of initial conditions as setting up a game board before playing. Just like how you arrange the pieces and cards at the beginning, initial conditions establish the starting point for solving mathematical problems.

Related terms

Boundary Conditions: These are conditions that define the behavior of a system at its boundaries or limits.

Differential Equation: A differential equation is an equation that relates an unknown function with its derivatives.

Solution Curve: A solution curve represents all possible solutions to a differential equation and can be determined using initial conditions.

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AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.