PIVOT

Pivot is a term used across disciplines to denote a point or action around which movement, change, or rotation occurs. In physical contexts, a pivot is a fixed point, pin, or support that allows another object to rotate about it, such as a door hinge or a wheel axle. In anatomy and movement, the term describes a rotational motion where a part turns around a central axis, often described as rotating on a pivot foot in some sports.

In mathematics and computer science, pivot denotes a critical element used to restructure a system or dataset. In linear algebra, a pivot element is a nonzero entry chosen during Gaussian elimination to create leading ones and eliminate other entries in its column. The term also appears in algorithms and data processing to indicate a key feature around which computations revolve. In data analysis, a pivot operation or pivot table reorganizes data, turning rows into columns or aggregating values by categories to summarize large datasets.

In business and entrepreneurship, a pivot refers to a strategic shift to a different product, market, or business model, intended to improve traction or viability after learning from customers or market conditions. Startups often pivot in response to feedback or competition, aiming to preserve value while changing the core approach.

In everyday usage, pivots are common in sports and daily motion: a pivot involves rotating on the ball or edge of one foot while maintaining position, enabling changes of direction without losing balance. The concept shares common roots in the idea of rotating around a central point.