Logistic

Logistic is an adjective and sometimes used as a noun in technical contexts. In general usage, it relates to logistics, the management of the acquisition, movement, and storage of resources including goods, information, and people. In business, government, and military contexts, logistics covers procurement, transport, warehousing, inventory control, order fulfillment, and demand planning. The term derives from logistique, used in military contexts in the 19th century, and has grown to describe the supply chain functions that ensure resources reach the right place at the right time.

In mathematics and statistics, logistic denotes several related concepts used to model growth, probabilities, and binary outcomes. The logistic function is an S-shaped curve defined by f(x) = L/(1 + e^{-k(x - x0)}), mapping real numbers to a bounded interval; it is used in logistic regression to model the probability of a binary event via the logit link. The logistic distribution describes a probability distribution with a logistic cumulative distribution function. Logistic growth models populations that approach a carrying capacity as resources become limiting. The logistic map is a discrete-time dynamical system studied in chaos theory, given by x_{n+1} = r x_n (1 - x_n).

In practice, "logistic" is often used interchangeably with "logistics" in shorthand or as part of compound terms (logistic support, logistic operations).