parameters
parameters — noun
1. the agreed boundaries or rules that decide what is allowed to happen, often sett
the agreed boundaries or rules that decide what is allowed to happen, often setting the scope of a project, discussion, or piece of work.
The committee asked Pim to work within the parameters of the original research grant.
within the parameters of [noun] — scope limits
Before the talks began, Diya and Christopher set clear parameters for what each side could request.
set parameters for [noun] — establish boundaries
Foreman Joon told the workers that the new safety rules had expanded the parameters of acceptable behaviour on the floor.
Ignacio felt the project's design parameters were too narrow to allow any real creativity.
Treasurer Antonia warned that any spending request outside the agreed parameters must go back to the board.
- limits
everyday equivalent; less formal and less procedural
- boundaries
often physical or interpersonal; parameters is more often institutional
- guidelines
softer — suggests advice rather than firm scope rules
- constraints
emphasises what is forbidden, not what is allowed
- free rein
the absence of set boundaries
文法句型
parameters of [something]
within / outside the parameters
set / establish parameters
用法筆記
Almost always plural. Frequently follows 'within', 'outside', 'beyond', 'set', or 'establish'. Object of 'set' is usually an institution, committee, or formal agreement, not an individual whim.
常見錯誤
2. the measurable features of a system or situation whose values shape how that sys
the measurable features of a system or situation whose values shape how that system behaves — for example, temperature and pressure for a chemical reaction, or class size and teacher experience for a school.
Élise listed the three parameters that most affect how quickly a battery loses charge.
parameters that affect [system] — defining factors
Meteorologist Dewi explained that air pressure, humidity, and temperature are the key parameters used to forecast tomorrow's weather.
key parameters used to [do X] — list of defining factors
Reuben adjusted two parameters on the engine model to see how fuel use would change.
Professor Ilan argued that class size and teacher experience are two parameters that shape how well children learn to read.
The doctor explained that several parameters of Kwame's blood test had returned to normal.
- factors
everyday word; parameters is usually quantifiable while factors can be qualitative
- variables
stresses that the value can change; parameter sometimes implies a more stable defining feature
- characteristics
broader — characteristics may be qualitative, parameters are usually measurable
文法句型
parameters of [system / situation]
key / important parameters
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: here a parameter is a measurable feature whose value matters, not a boundary line. Often appears with verbs like 'adjust', 'measure', 'monitor', 'affect', 'shape'. Subject is usually a system, a model, or a test report.
常見錯誤
3. in maths and statistics, the numbers in an equation or model whose values you ch
in maths and statistics, the numbers in an equation or model whose values you choose in order to pick out one particular member of a wider family of curves or distributions — for example, the slope and intercept of a straight-line equation.
Nikos calculated the two parameters of the straight-line equation from the data points on the graph.
parameters of [equation] — values that pin down one curve
Once Tamar fixed the parameters of the model, the predicted growth curve matched the experiment well.
fix the parameters — choose specific values
Statistician Amira reminded the class that a normal distribution has only two parameters: the mean and the standard deviation.
Mr. Pedro showed his students how to estimate the parameters of a simple regression line from a small data sample.
- coefficients
narrower — usually the multiplicative numbers in front of variables
- constants
treats the value as truly fixed; a parameter may be re-estimated
- variables
the symbols that change as inputs; parameters set the shape of the relationship
文法句型
parameters of [equation / curve / model]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2: a sense-3 parameter is a number inside an equation or a probability model (e.g. the mean of a normal distribution), not a measured input feature of a real-world system. Common in maths, physics, statistics, and machine-learning textbooks.