Lambda is a greek letter (looks something like an up-side-down back-to-front y) that is often used to represent these things:
- An EigenValue of a matrix
- The decay constant of a radioactive material (not the half-life), or other exponential process
- FunctionalAbstraction in the LambdaCalculus and, usually spelled out, some programming languages (typically FunctionalProgrammingLanguages, but not always) related to that calculus
- In the context of 'lambda sensor', an exhaust oxygen sensor in a closed-loop fuel management system for an internal combustion engine
- Wavelength
These are represented by lower case lambda (λ or λ).
By talking about the lambda nature of a programming language, we usually mean the tendency of treating functions as values (instead of special constructs) and functions having
LexicalClosures.
There is also a capital Lambda (Λ or Λ) -- not sure what that is used for, outside of fraternity house names.
(note: I just tried to type lambdas in Unicode, but somehow they got converted to numeric entity names, which were already there, so I removed them. I'm using Mozilla 1.5.)
try change \frac to \lambda at http://www.equationsheet.com/entertex.php?SID=XXXXXBOT
Does a dog have lambda nature?
MuAnswer.
No no, mu is the next Greek letter!-)
See also
MathematicalNotation