Indeterminate

Part of speech: adjective (a.)

Not determinate; not certain or fixed; indefinite; not precise; as, an indeterminate number of years. Paley. Indeterminate analysis (Math.), that branch of analysis which has for its object the solution of indeterminate problems. -- Indeterminate coefficients (Math.), coefficients arbitrarily assumed for convenience of calculation, or to facilitate some artifice of analysis. Their values are subsequently determined. -- Indeterminate equation (Math.), an equation in which the unknown quantities admit of an infinite number of values, or sets of values. A group of equations is indeterminate when it contains more unknown quantities than there are equations. -- Indeterminate inflorescence (Bot.), a mode of inflorescence in which the flowers all arise from axillary buds, the terminal bud going on to grow and sometimes continuing the stem indefinitely; -- called also acropetal, botryose, centripetal, and indefinite inflorescence. Gray. -- Indeterminate problem (Math.), a problem which admits of an infinite number of solutions, or one in which there are fewer imposed conditions than there are unknown or required results. -- Indeterminate quantity (Math.), a quantity which has no fixed value, but which may be varied in accordance with any proposed condition. -- Indeterminate series (Math.), a series whose terms proceed by the powers of an indeterminate quantity, sometimes also with indeterminate exponents, or indeterminate coefficients. -- In`de*ter"mi*nate*ly adv. -- In`de*ter"mi*nate*ness, n.