Formula
In science, a
formula is a concise way of expressing information symbolically as in a mathematical or chemical formula. The informal use of the term
formula in science refers to the general construct of a relationship between given quantities. The plural of
formula can be spelled either as
formulas or
formulae. In mathematics, a formula is an entity constructed using the symbols and formation rules of a given logical language. For example, determining the volume of a sphere requires a significant amount of integral calculus or its geometrical analogue, the method of exhaustion; but, having done this once, mathematicians can produce a formula to describe the volume in terms of some other parameter. This particular formula is:
V = 4/3 π
r3 Having obtained this result, and knowing the radius of the sphere in question, we can quickly and easily determine its volume. Note that the volume
V and the radius
r are expressed as single letters instead of words or phrases.