sgnfunction
nounUK /ˈsaɪn ˈfʌŋkʃən/
US /ˈsaɪn ˈfʌŋkʃən/
A sign function tells you if a number is positive, negative, or zero.
The sign function returns 1 for 5, -1 for -3, and 0 for 0.
SYNONYMS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A mathematical function that extracts only the sign of a real number, ignoring its magnitude.
In signal processing, the sign function is used to detect the direction of a change.
3. A programming utility that returns -1, 0, or 1 depending on whether the input is negative, zero, or positive.
The code calls sgnfunction(x) to compare the two values without caring about their size.
4. A shorthand notation in calculus for the signum operator, often written sgn(x).
The derivative of |x| is sgn(x) for x not equal to zero.