2007-01-05 03:46:46 · 20 answers · asked by francesbibb 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
Usually it represents multiplication and is used when the multiplication symbol x could be mistaken for a variable 'x' in algebra.
It probably started with computer languages that needed a way to type operators (like multiplication) and exponentiation, without using letters, but using common symbols on the keyboard.
* = multiplication
^ = exponentiation
2007-01-05 03:56:15 · answer #1 · answered by Puzzling 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Not to sound flippant, but it can represent whatever you want it to, if you define it.
How is the star being used? If used as an operation, as in f * g, it often represents convolution of two functions. I've also seen it used in signal processing to represent correlation. If it is a unary operation, as in f*, it often represents adjoint, or conjugate transpose (if you are talking about matrices), or sometimes complex conjugate. A lot of times * is just used to relate two objects that are duals, as in f and f*, where f**=f or something. And of course, there is the Hodge star product, which is an operation on linear manifolds.
A star is just a symbol, and in mathematics, as long as you define what the symbol means, everybody will be happy. A star, or any other symbol, does not have any intrinsic meaning.
2007-01-05 03:55:27 · answer #2 · answered by acafrao341 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Convolution (a measure of the similarity between two functions)
It's often used for multiplication since the "x" key is useful for algebra (or variable names in maths software like Octave and Matlab) and there is no "times" key on your keyboard... but if you're talking text-book maths then it's convolution.
...oh yeah, or complex conjugate, as some other chap's pointed out. Actually I just saw that it can also be a "matrix adjoint operator", although I didn't know that until now :)
2007-01-05 04:01:16 · answer #3 · answered by Gavin P 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Multiplication.
3*4 = 12
2007-01-05 03:49:22 · answer #4 · answered by MamaMia © 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Multiplication
2007-01-05 03:50:01 · answer #5 · answered by 1 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To Multiply
2007-01-05 04:01:26 · answer #6 · answered by Blue-Eyed Guy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
in mathematics,
∗ (asterisk operator) is used as a convolution operator
⋆ (star operator) is used to represent star transform (discrete-time variation of laplace transform), sometimes represented by an asterisk.
in computational mathematics,
* (asterisk on keyboard) is used as a multiplication operator to replace × which could be mixed up with x.
2007-01-05 06:01:34 · answer #7 · answered by xyeslam 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a symbol for multiplication. I suppose it
came from an old computer language called
Fortran, where it was used to indicate multiplication.
2007-01-05 03:53:29 · answer #8 · answered by steiner1745 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Multiply.
2007-01-05 03:54:10 · answer #9 · answered by SunnyOne 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well if your talking about this symbol * then it means to multiply
2007-01-05 03:51:27 · answer #10 · answered by olyolyoxenfree 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋