Definition:Formal Calculation
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Definition
Formal calculation is a calculation, often involving power series, which is purely algebraic in nature, such that questions of convergence is not considered.
Also see
- Results about formal calculation can be found here.
Historical Note
The technique of formal calculation was used by Leonhard Paul Euler to discover many new theorems.
Sources
- 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): formal calculation
- 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): formal calculation