step function
Abrupt value changes
A step function is a mathematical function that remains constant within intervals, then jumps abruptly to a new value—its graph resembles a staircase.
In broader use, step function describes any process that changes in discrete jumps rather than smoothly: The price increases were a step function, not gradual.
The term often appears in economics and engineering to model thresholds or sudden transitions.
- staircaseIndoor flight of steps
- quantizationConversion to discrete values
- discontinuityBreak in continuity
- activationSetting into operation
- digital circuitsSystems using binary states
convolution · threshold · histogram · control systems · ladder · cutoff · all or nothing · on off switch · signal processing · pulse · binary · digital signal · signal · constant · on-off · trigger · digital · plateau
- neural networksneural network, neural networks, hidden layers, backpropagation, layers
- functionssubroutine, handler, lambda, procedure, closure
- quantizationquantization, quantize, quantizing, bit depth, levels
- measure theorymeasure, null set, almost everywhere, completion, atoms
- gapsgap, rift, void, chasm, crack
- graphsgraph, bar graph, line graph, pie chart, scatter plot
step, function, footstep, stepping, doorstep, misstep, stepped, stepsister, stepwise