asymptote
/ˈæsɪmptoʊt/
noun
- A line that a curve approaches more and more closely but never actually reaches, used in mathematics and geometry.
- Understanding asymptotes helps in graphing rational functions and predicting their behavior.
- In algebra class, we learned that the graph of y = 1/x has a horizontal asymptote at y = 0.
- The curve gets closer to the asymptote as x increases, but it never touches it.
- A situation or limit that is approached but never fully reached.
- The company's growth rate is approaching an asymptote, with sales leveling off.
- In some theories, human knowledge has an asymptote that we can get close to but never surpass.
- The athlete's performance seemed to hit an asymptote, improving only slightly each year.