# Indeterminate (variable)

In mathematics, and particularly in formal algebra, an indeterminate or indeterminant is a symbol that is treated as a variable, but does not stand for anything else but itself and is used as a placeholder in objects such as polynomials and formal power series. In particular it does not designate a constant or a parameter of the problem, it is not an unknown that could be solved for, and it is not a variable designating a function argument or being summed or integrated over; it is not any type of bound variable.

## Polynomials

A polynomial in an indeterminate X is an expression of the form ${\displaystyle a_{0}+a_{1}X+a_{2}X^{2}+\ldots +a_{n}X^{n}}$, where the ai are called the coefficients of the polynomial. Two such polynomials are equal only if the corresponding coefficients are equal.[1] In contrast, two polynomial functions in a variable x may be equal or not depending on the value of x.

For example, the functions

${\displaystyle f(x)=2+3x,g(x)=5+2x}$

are equal when x=3 and not equal otherwise. But the two polynomials

${\displaystyle 2+3X,5+2X}$

are unequal since 2 does not equal 5 and 3 does not equal 2. In fact

${\displaystyle 2+3X=a+bX\,}$,

does not hold unless a = 2 and b = 3. This is because X is not, and does not designate, a number.

The distinction is subtle since a polynomial in X can be changed to a function in x by substitution. But the distinction is important because information may be lost when this substitution is made. Working in modulo 2:

${\displaystyle 0-0^{2}=0,\ 1-1^{2}=0,\,}$

so the polynomial function xx2 is identically equal to 0 for x having any value in the modulo 2 system. But the polynomial X-X2 is not the zero polynomial since the coefficients, 0, 1 and −1, are not all zero.

## Formal power series

A formal power series in an indeterminate X is an expression of the form a0+a1X+a2X2+…. This is similar to the definition of a polynomial except that an infinite number of the coefficients may be nonzero. Unlike the power series encountered in calculus, questions of convergence are irrelevant. So power series that would diverge for values of x, such as 1+x+2x2+6x3+…+n!xn+…, are allowed.