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Glite Dictionary
prefactor

prefactor

8.6
A number put in front of a math term to multiply it
  • noun
  • /ˈpriːfæktər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : prefactor
  • In the equation, the prefactor of 2 indicates how much to multiply the variable by.
  • diffusion prefactor

Examples

  • To simplify the problem, you need to identify the prefactor before solving the equation.

  • For the laser wavelength of 532 nm utilized here, C lambda (prefactor) was equal to 4.956 nm.

    Academic text (2018)

  • And so this tells you that this prefactor is just the two point function, OK.

  • OK, so you can actually work out the prefactor precisely.

  • In this formula, the prefactor is crucial for determining the final value of the calculation.

Synonyms

factor
vsprefactor
  • Specialized
77 2.8

A number that divides another number exactly

is specifically an expression placed before a term to multiply it
multiplier
vsprefactor
  • Specialized
23 4.2

A number used to multiply another number

is used specifically before a term or formula to scale it
coeff
vsprefactor
  • Specialized
8.1

A number that multiplies a variable in math or science

multiplies an entire term or formula placed before it
multiplier factor
vsprefactor
  • Specialized
5.2

A number that tells how many times to use a value to get a result

multiplies a term or formula when placed in front of it

Surface Forms

prefactor singular
prefactors plural

Morphology

prefactor = factor (transparent) = pre + factor

In the mathematical sense, 'pre-' plus 'factor' straightforwardly means a factor placed before another term or expression.

Etymology

The word prefactor comes from two parts: pre- meaning 'before' and factor meaning 'a number that multiplies' or 'something that changes a result'. So a prefactor is the number or expression that sits in front of a formula and multiplies it, which is why changing the prefactor changes the whole result.