Factorial: meaning, definitions and examples

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factorial

 

[ fækˈtɔːriəl ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

mathematics

The product of an integer and all the integers below it; e.g., factorial four ( 4! ) is equal to 24 (4 × 3 × 2 × 1).

Synonyms

factorialize

Examples of usage

  • The factorial function is commonly used in mathematics.
  • To calculate the factorial of a number, you multiply that number by all the positive integers less than it.
Context #2 | Noun

computing

A recursive function or algorithm that calculates the product of all positive integers up to a given number.

Synonyms

factorialize

Examples of usage

  • The factorial algorithm is often used in programming for various computations.
  • In computer science, understanding how to implement the factorial function efficiently is important.

Translations

Translations of the word "factorial" in other languages:

🇵🇹 fatorial

🇮🇳 फैक्टोरियल

🇩🇪 Fakultät

🇮🇩 faktorial

🇺🇦 факторіал

🇵🇱 silnia

🇯🇵 階乗 (kaijō)

🇫🇷 factorielle

🇪🇸 factorial

🇹🇷 faktöriyel

🇰🇷 팩토리얼 (paektorial)

🇸🇦 عاملي

🇨🇿 faktoriál

🇸🇰 faktoriál

🇨🇳 阶乘 (jiē chéng)

🇸🇮 faktorial

🇮🇸 stuðull

🇰🇿 факториал

🇬🇪 ფაქტორიალი

🇦🇿 faktorial

🇲🇽 factorial

Etymology

The term 'factorial' was introduced by Christian Kramp in 1808. The concept of factorial has been fundamental in mathematics and computing, providing a way to calculate permutations and combinations. It has applications in various fields such as probability, statistics, and number theory.

See also: factorable, factorizable, factorize, factors.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #19,728, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.