Numerisk

Numerisk is an adjective used in several Scandinavian languages, including Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish, meaning relating to numbers or to numeric quantities. It describes things that can be expressed as numbers, methods that operate on numbers, or problems that require numerical computation. The word derives from the Latin numerus and reflects a long-standing linguistic connection to the concept of a number.

In mathematics and computer science, numerisk describes approaches that compute numerical approximations rather than symbolic expressions. The term is common in numerisk analys (numerical analysis), which studies algorithms for approximating solutions to mathematical problems such as solving equations, integrating functions, solving differential equations, and computing eigenvalues. Numerical methods encompass iterative techniques, linear algebra routines, numerical integration, and finite difference methods. In computing, these methods are typically implemented using floating-point arithmetic, which brings considerations of rounding error and numerical stability.

In statistics and data science, numerisk data refers to data that can be measured on a numerical scale, as opposed to nominal or categorical data. The term also appears in contexts like numerisk beräkning (numerical computation) and numeriska simuleringar (numerical simulations).

The concept is closely related to, yet distinct from, symbolisk or analytisk approaches, which emphasize symbolic or analytic solutions rather than numerical approximations. The choice between numerisk and symbolic methods influences tool selection, such as using computer algebra systems for symbolic work versus numerical libraries for approximate calculation.