Characteristic equation may refer to:
- Characteristic equation (calculus), used to solve linear differential equations
- Characteristic equation, a characteristic polynomial equation in linear algebra used to find eigenvalues of a matrix
- Characteristic equation, a polynomial used to solve a recurrence relation
Famous quotes containing the word equation:
“Jail sentences have many functions, but one is surely to send a message about what our society abhors and what it values. This week, the equation was twofold: female infidelity twice as bad as male abuse, the life of a woman half as valuable as that of a man. The killing of the woman taken in adultery has a long history and survives today in many cultures. One of those is our own.”
—Anna Quindlen (b. 1952)