Parallelization Meaning: Definition and Examples

Technology

• In computing, parallelization allows multiple processors to work on tasks simultaneously, dramatically speeding up complex calculations.
• Many modern software applications utilize parallelization to improve performance, especially in data-intensive tasks like video rendering.
• Supercomputers are designed to harness the power of parallelization, capable of performing billions of calculations per second.

Science

• Parallel processes are used in scientific research to simulate complex phenomena like climate change, where many variables interact simultaneously.
• In psychology, researchers might use parallelization in experiments to test multiple hypotheses at once, gathering more data efficiently.
• Biological processes in cells can also demonstrate parallelization, as multiple biochemical reactions occur simultaneously to sustain life.

Business

• Project management often employs parallelization to handle parallel tasks, enabling teams to work on different aspects of a project at the same time.
• Product development cycles utilize parallelization to reduce time-to-market by overlapping design and testing phases.
• Companies that adopt parallel workflows often see improvements in efficiency and productivity, leading to better resource management.

Literature

• Authors may use parallelization in storytelling by weaving multiple timelines or perspectives together, creating a rich, complex narrative.
• The concept of parallel themes can be found in literature, where two stories are told simultaneously to highlight similarities and contrasts.
• Poetry often employs parallel structures to create rhythm and emphasize connections between ideas.

Main points about word origin

• The word comes from the Latin 'parallelos', meaning 'alongside', which reflects two or more things occurring at the same time.
• It combines 'parallel' with the suffix '-ization', which indicates the process of making or becoming.
• The concept of parallelism dates back to the early 20th century in computing language.

The term 'parallelization' is derived from 'parallel' and the suffix '-ization'. The word 'parallel' comes from the Greek word 'parallelos', meaning 'beside one another'. This concept evolved in mathematics and physics to describe lines or planes that run alongside each other and never meet. As computers began to evolve in the mid-20th century, the necessity for more efficient methods of processing data emerged. Thus, the process of dividing tasks into smaller, simultaneous operations (parallelization) was developed. The suffix '-ization' indicates the act or process of making something into a particular state or condition, which in this case refers to the act of making processes run in parallel. Despite being a relatively modern concept in the computational field, parallelization is foundational in the era of multi-core processors and cloud computing.