Unknown Quantity (Noun)
Meaning 1
A factor in a given situation whose bearing and importance is not apparent; "I don't know what the new man will do; he's still an unknown quantity".
Classification
Nouns denoting natural events.
Meaning 2
A variable whose values are solutions of an equation.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The variable x in the equation 2x + 5 = 11 is an unknown quantity that needs to be solved for.
- In algebra, the goal is often to isolate the unknown quantity on one side of the equation.
- The unknown quantity in the equation 4x - 3 = 2x + 2 is the value of x that makes the equation true.
- Solving for the unknown quantity in an equation can involve adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing both sides by the same value.
- The unknown quantity in a linear equation is often represented by a variable, such as x or y, and is the value that makes the equation true.