Discover

'Differential' may refer to:

Contents

Mathematics

Natural sciences and engineering

Social sciences

Other uses

Mathematics

★ Differential (calculus), multiple related meanings in calculus and differential geometry, such as an infinitesimal change in the value of a function

★ Differential (coboundary), in homological algebra and algebraic topology, one of the maps of a cochain complex

★ Differential (cryptography), in differential cryptanalysis, a pair consisting of the difference, usually computed by XOR (exclusive or), between two plaintexts, and the difference of the corresponding ciphertexts
:''See also derivative, differential calculus.

Natural sciences and engineering

★ Differential (mechanical device), a gear or similar device for allowing each of the driving wheels to rotate at different speeds

★ Electronic Differential, a multi drive controller which substitutes its mechanical counterpart with significant advantages in electric vehicles application

★ The result of a medical test using differential staining, such as the white blood cell differential

★ In electronics differential signaling applies to a method of transmitting electronic signal over a pair of wired to improve noise immunity.

Social sciences

★ Semantic and structural differentials in psychology

★ A quality spread differential in finance

★ Compensating differential in labor economics

Other uses

The word ''differential'' is also used in many fields as an adjective to refer to differences, particularly those of a variable or continuous nature. Examples include differential hardening in metallurgy, differential rotation in astronomy, differential centrifugation in cell biology, differential scanning calorimetry in materials science, differential signalling in communications, differential diagnosis in medicine, differential algebra in mathematics, differential execution in computer science, and differential GPS technology.