hlutfallslegu

Hlutfallslegu iserit í íslensku, an adjective meaning proportional or relative. It is used to describe a relationship between two quantities in which one changes in a constant proportion to the other. The word stems from hlutfall, meaning ratio or proportion, and the suffix -legur meaning “having the nature of.” In Icelandic grammar, hlutfallslegu is a form used in various cases and constructions, for example in phrases such as hlutfallslegt samband or hlutfallsleg eðli.

In mathematics, hlutfallslegt samband refers to a relationship in which one variable is a constant multiple of another. If y = kx, then k is the hlutfallsfasti, the constant of proportionality. Direct proportionality is characterized by this form, and the graph of a directly proportional relationship is a straight line through the origin with slope k. The concept is applicable to many scientific and practical contexts where quantities scale together under a constant factor, provided units and conditions are appropriate.

Usage examples include descriptions such as hlutfallslegt verðlag (prices that change proportionally with quantity) or hlutfallsleg aukning (growth that is proportional to a base amount). The term also appears in more general discussions of ratios and proportional reasoning, where understanding hlutfallslegt samband helps interpret changes between related quantities.

Etymology: derived from hlutfall (ratio, proportion) plus the suffix -legur, forming an adjective describing proportionality. The inflected form hlutfallslegu appears in various grammatical contexts.