Fiveable
Fiveable

Singularity

Definition

A singularity is a point in a function where it becomes undefined or approaches infinity. It is a point of discontinuity.

Analogy

Imagine driving on a road and suddenly encountering a huge pothole that you can't drive through. The pothole represents the singularity in the function, where it becomes impossible to continue smoothly.

Related terms

Discontinuity: A point in a function where there is an abrupt change or break, causing the function to be undefined or have different values on either side.

Asymptote: A line that a graph approaches but never touches. It can be horizontal, vertical, or slanted.

Limit: The value that a function approaches as the input (x) gets arbitrarily close to a certain value. It helps determine behavior near singularities.

"Singularity" appears in:

collegeable - rocket pep

Are you a college student?

  • Study guides for the entire semester

  • 200k practice questions

  • Glossary of 50k key terms - memorize important vocab



© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

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


© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

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