Talk:Parameter

message: You see it can be done. Many thanks, Andrewa, this is an excellent piece of work and I hope other mathematicians will take this as an example. Now we have all the tools for understanding the article and it is up to us now. Dieter Simon 01:03, 25 Nov 2003 (UTC)
thread_title: Parameter article

message: Please, please, please, take account of the majority of non-expert readers, who have come across the term "parameter" and want to find out what it is all about. Try to explain it to them in a way they can understand. 
What is meant by an encyclopaedia such as Wikipedia? It is not a talking-shop among mathematicians, computer-scientists or logicians, nor is it a project for the advances of these sciences, it is purely and simply a way to find out about subjects I or many others do not know anything about, having other constituent terms explained and made reference to as we go along. You are mentioning the would-be keywords argument, open-predicate, etc.,  in italics, but omit to either explain them in the article nor reference them to any other Wiki article, where one could have them explained. Why not start in simple terms, explicating formulae, etc., and advance to a stage which allows you to make it creditable in the eyes of fellow-experts? Surely, there must be a way? I, as a humble layman, would warm to you in appreciation. Thank you. Dieter Simon 00:02, 26 April 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: I never thought this page was well written.  It seems not as bad as it used to be.  But "parameter" is a concept defined a bit vaguely, and mathematicians have trouble writing clearly about things defined vaguely.  I read a brilliant exposition of this idea once.  I'm going to try to find it.  I may quote part of it here, with attribution. Michael Hardy 02:08, 5 May 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: Thank you, Michael, it would be appreciated. Dieter Simon 23:30, 5 May 2006 (UTC)

text: I found it.  I've added a short quote from it near the beginning. Michael Hardy 00:53, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: Many thanks. Dieter Simon 22:03, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Poor ordinary reader of Wikipedia 

message: I think parts of the article should be improved, not just removed. Have reverted. Dieter Simon 00:20, 27 May 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: Well yes, Jon. Sounds a good idea, so how about translating that into the actual article, so ordinary readers may get the benefit. Not everone reads the Talk pages. You may get some feedback from other experts, though, but if you know what you are talking about there should be no prob. Dieter Simon 23:28, 1 August 2006 (UTC)

text: I'm  not sure what you mean, you can't edit the actual article of Parameter? Would Wikipedia:How to edit a page help? Dieter Simon 00:13, 10 August 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Improve paragraphs not remove them

message: The reason I removed the paragraph on parametric equalisers was that the (engineering) context was too specific. I can understand what the paragraph is trying to say, but a more general example should be given instead. I'll shift the parametric equaliser paragraph further down to the engineering section instead.132.234.251.211 00:54, 1 June 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: Ok, 132.234.251.211, we now why you removed it, so how about doing exactly what you have suggested, give a more general example? Yes, as I originally proposed, we should write articles which the less initiated reader understands and then work on for the more technically-minded. Do you think you feel up to it? It would be appreciated. Dieter Simon 22:52, 1 June 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Why I removed paragraph

message: I tried to reorganize the article and rewrite some sections to present a coherent discussion of what a parameter is, rather than just a loose collection of examples of where the word "parameter" pops up.  I also thought that it's important, especially to lay readers or students trying to understand  mathematical and scientific terminology, to distinguish a parameter from a variable or an argument.  As a physical scientist, I know how I and my colleagues use the terms, at least when we're being careful, but I'm not sure everything I wrote is spot-on from a mathematician's or statistician's point of view.  Michael, what do you think? --Atemperman 22:37, 21 August 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: Excellent work on a dificult subject. Dieter Simon 00:57, 22 August 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Reorganization

message: Cuvette, rather than calling it "garbage", how about editing it so that it is factual but at the same time readable and making sense? We would appreciate it. It is an abstruse subject and people who come across the various strands want to understand it, I am sure. So, you are welcome to help us out here. Many thanks. Dieter Simon 01:00, 1 November 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Garbage? How about editing it so that everyone understands it?

message: How's this for a precise definition of two of the senses? The first sense appears scattered through the article in many vaguely and differently worded guises. The second is the sense described in the section Analytic geometry.
(1) Given an n-ary function, say the 5-ary function F = F(_,_,_,_,_) (that is a function of n arguments, a function of n independent variables), and given an (n-k)-ary function, say the (5-2)-ary (that is, 3-ary) function F(q,r,_,_,_) = f(_,_,_) = f, the k variables which are inputted to turn the n-ary function F into (n-k)-ary functions of the form f are called parameters of the class of all possible (n-k)-ary functions of the form f (the latter functions differing from each other according to the values of the parameters, in this case q and r).
(2) The argument (independent variable) of the vector-valued function defined by a so-called parametric equation. That is, a function from some interval of R to some real coordinate space specific to that function.
Dependent Variable (talk) 06:58, 7 March 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  What is a parameter? 

message: a mathematic model described by mathematic functions includes parameters and variables. variables determine the function structure(type of mathematic functions, symmetric or non-symmetric). parameters change some function properties(increasing function or decreasing function).  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Jiancontrol (talk • contribs) 19:18, 31 March 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  my understanding of differences between parameters and variables 

message: I just deleted the following definition, which was included in the lead paragraph:
:Parameter- is a computation from data values recorded- but it is not actually a data value recorded from a subject. Example: for a population  of test scores, a parameter would not be an actual score, but perhaps an average computed from all scores, or a percent computed from all scores.
That's a definition of 'statistic', not a definition of 'parameter'. Sometimes the word 'parameter' is used that way in everyday speech, but it's an error. Rinconsoleao (talk) 12:11, 20 July 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  Error 

message: Most of the article is very clear and helpful, but the first paragraph is awful. In 2008 there was a comprehensible lead paragraph, although it failed to define 'parameter' precisely. Here's the main definition as of 2008:
:In mathematics, statistics, and the mathematical sciences, a parameter (G: auxiliary measure) is a quantity that defines certain characteristics of systems or functions. In different contexts the term may have special usage.
Now (2011) I simply can't understand the first sentence, and I'm particularly perplexed by the way the word 'variable' shows up twice in a row. Here's the current definition, July 2011:
:In mathematics, statistics, and the mathematical sciences, a parameter (G: auxiliary measure) is a quantity that serves to relate functions and variables using a common variable when such a relationship would be difficult to explicate with an equation. In different contexts, the term may have special uses.
From all the examples, one gets the following picture: functions may be said to depend on 'variables' and 'parameters'. Changing a variable means moving along the axis (or axes), whereas changing a parameter means shifting the curve. Can anyone state that in a more precise and correct way? Rinconsoleao (talk) 12:53, 20 July 2011 (UTC)
replies: text: In mathematics, statistics, and the mathematical sciences, a parameter is a quantity that can be changed but is being held fixed (within some discourse). The concept is thus an intermediate between variable and constant, the distinctions from which are in both cases subjective.
That parameter in parametric curve and one-parameter group is taken to mean independent variable is effectively a separate meaning of the word and the article should state so clearly. This second meaning does however arise as a degenerate case of the general meaning, since the things being unified by the parametrisation are not functions or graphs of same, but individual points. 130.239.234.45 (talk) 16:06, 16 October 2012 (UTC)

text: I think that, even if the common meaning of the term is restricted to an independent variable or an external influence, this definition must be preserved in the introduction which is addressing common users. The intro should not enter into scientific demonstration but only refer to the different meanings that are developed later in the article. The use of the term "parameter" is not restricted to science. It is commonly used in arts, in architecture, in philosophy, in politics and so on... Any artistic or architectural project will be designed in relation to diverse parameters which can be environmental, emotional, technical and so on.  Why should the article favour the mathematical meaning of the term?--Christophe Krief (talk) 22:20, 16 October 2012 (UTC)
thread_title:  Main definition 

message: I think the contents related to mathematics and statistics should be split to a new article Parameter (mathematics) and that this article should be a disambiguation page listing various uses of the word parameter. What do other people think? Isheden (talk) 13:43, 1 October 2012 (UTC)
replies: text: *I think that it would be preferable to keep the article as one, because to my understanding, the different meanings of the term are related; and it is the variety of meanings that make the term rich and interesting.--Christophe Krief (talk) 22:16, 16 October 2012 (UTC)
thread_title:  Proposed split 

message: I split the use of parameter in computing from the computer programming discussion.  This is still not a good fit, but this more general usage of parameter doesn't go with the detailed discussion of arguments and parameters in the computer programming section, which I think might be confusing (IMO).  It also doesn't fit any other of the mentioned uses.  This usage of "parameter"  is more general, for example a program to analyze some data could be run with the limits of acceptable vs. unacceptable values as parameters, or a program to integrate a function could be run with the limits as parameters. Peter Flass (talk) 14:12, 7 March 2014 (UTC)
thread_title:  Computing vs. Computer Programming 

message: Wikipedea's mathematics section are such garbage.  And this is because it is controlled by a few idiotic academic professors who refuse to make them understandable to the public and then pour on multiple lines of theory.  They are valueless as a result.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 166.84.1.2 (talk) 16:59, 18 March 2017 (UTC)
replies: text: Please be civil in discussions. Referring to other editors as "idiotic academic professors" does nothing to advance your argument. You may be blocked for failing to abide by this WP policy. Mindmatrix 21:44, 19 March 2017 (UTC)
thread_title: Free Willey

message: It is not necessary, except that the argument to \log is something like a+b.  This is true also for \sin/\cos/\tan/\exp/\sum/\int.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Biohuang (talk • contribs) 10:18, 21 November 2018 (UTC)
replies: text: Good luck! Try being bold. Purgy (talk) 10:48, 21 November 2018 (UTC)
thread_title:  Parentheses following <math>\log</math> 

message: The section on artificial intelligence refers to parameters in Artificial neural networks (NN) only. There are several additional models for artificial intelligence and Machine learning, where parameters have a different significance. Logistic regression, Conditional random field, Decision tree learning and Support vector machines (SVM) are among them. I propose a separate article for the details and a link to such a new main article similar to the existing link to Parameter (computer programming). BBCLCD (talk) 07:54, 4 January 2024 (UTC)
thread_title:  Proposed separate main article for Parameter (artificial intelligence)