Convergente

Convergente is a term used in several disciplines to denote a tendency toward a common point, limit, or outcome. In mathematics, a quantity is convergent if it approaches a definite value as its index or parameter grows without bound. This applies to sequences, series, and functions. A sequence (a_n) converges to L if for every ε > 0 there exists N such that n ≥ N implies |a_n − L| < ε. For example, a_n = 1/n converges to 0. A series ∑ a_n converges if its partial sums approach a finite limit; for instance ∑ 1/n^2 converges, while ∑ 1/n diverges. A sequence of functions f_n can converge pointwise to f, meaning f_n(x) → f(x) for every x, or converge uniformly when sup_x |f_n(x) − f(x)| → 0. In geometry, convergent describes lines or rays that meet at a common point.

In biology, convergent evolution describes the independent development of similar traits in distinct lineages under comparable environmental pressures, such as wings in bats and birds or streamlined bodies in dolphins and ichthyosaurs. The term also appears in other fields as an analogous concept, including convergent validity in psychology and statistics, where different measurements agree on the same construct.

Convergente is the equivalent form of convergent in several Romance languages.