local minimum
Nearby lowest value
A local minimum is a point where a value is lower than at all nearby points, though not necessarily the lowest overall.
In mathematics, a function has a local minimum where the curve dips before rising again: The algorithm got stuck at a local minimum instead of finding the global minimum.
The concept extends to optimization problems, economics, and any system seeking the best outcome—a local minimum represents a solution that looks optimal in its immediate neighborhood but may not be the best possible.
Decisive juncture in events
- derivativeFunction's rate of change
- second derivativeChange in rate of change
- concavityInward-curving surface quality
- inflection pointWhere curvature changes sign
tangent · slope · extrema · turning point · neighborhood · continuity · function · limit
Unable to move
- trappedUnable to escape
- suboptimalBelow the ideal standard
- plateauFlat highland area
- settlingReaching resolution or rest
complacency · short-sighted · narrow view · rut · dead end · tunnel vision · good enough · satisficing
Point where edges converge
- nodeConnection point in networks
- edgeBoundary or sharpness
- networkInterconnected system
- shortest pathLeast-distance connection between nodes
directed · undirected · adjacency · path · cycle · topology · connectivity · degree
Process of approaching sameness
- iterationRepeated procedural pass
- parameterBoundary-setting factor
- constraintLimiting condition or rule
- boundSecured or destined
algorithm · nonlinear · stochastic · deterministic · heuristic · hill climbing · saddle point · plateau
critical point
Decisive juncture in events
- derivativeFunction's rate of change
- second derivativeChange in rate of change
- concavityInward-curving surface quality
inflection point · tangent · slope · extrema · turning point · neighborhood · continuity · function · limit · differential
stuck
Unable to move
- trappedUnable to escape
- suboptimalBelow the ideal standard
- plateauFlat highland area
settling · complacency · short-sighted · narrow view · rut · dead end · tunnel vision · good enough · satisficing · incremental
vertex
Point where edges converge
shortest path · directed · undirected · adjacency · path · cycle · topology · connectivity · degree · traversal
convergence
Process of approaching sameness
- iterationRepeated procedural pass
- parameterBoundary-setting factor
- constraintLimiting condition or rule
bound · algorithm · nonlinear · stochastic · deterministic · heuristic · hill climbing · saddle point · plateau · learning rate
- extremesbest, worst, biggest, smallest, highest
- neural networksneural network, neural networks, hidden layers, backpropagation, layers
- metastabilityunstable equilibrium, energy barrier, supercooling, superheating, supersaturation
- optimization algorithmsswarm intelligence, hill climbing, convergence, heuristic, nature-inspired
- turning pointsturning point, defining moment, pivotal event, pivotal moment, crossroads
- polynomialspolynomial, polynomials, binomial, monomial, binomials
local, locale, minimum, locality, locally, local maximum, localized, localize, localization