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One of the four fundamental operations of arithmetic and algebra. The symbol + of addition is thought to be a ligature for “et,” used in a German manuscript of 1456 to denote addition. Its first printed appearance is in Johann Widman's Behennede und…

The techniques and methods used in plowing, harrowing, planting, tilling, harvesting, drying, storing, and processing of agricultural crops. Agricultural soil and crop practices seek to keep the quality and fertility of soils at high levels so as to…

The branch of mathematics dealing with the solution of equations. These equations involve unknowns, or variables, along with fixed numbers from a specified system (Fig. 1). The origins of algebra were based on the need to develop equations that…

The study of zero sets of polynomial equations. Examples are the parabola y − x2 = 0, thought of as sitting in the (x, y)-plane, and the locus of all points (t, t2, t3, t4), which is defined by Eqs. (1), 1 in the coordinate space with coordinates w,…

The dried, unripe fruits (berries) of a small, tropical, evergreen tree, Pimenta dioica (P. officinalis), of the myrtle family (Myrtaceae). Allspice (see illustration), which is also known as Jamaica pepper, is a native of the West Indies and parts…

Prunus dulcis (also known as Prunus amygdalus or Amygdalus communis), a small deciduous tree of the order Rosales that is closely related to the peach and other stone fruit trees, and grown widely for its ellipsoidal edible seeds. The fruit of the…

Total variation in experimental data is partitioned into components assignable to specific sources by the analysis of variance. This statistical technique is applicable to data for which (1) effects of sources are additive, (2) uncontrolled or…

A branch of mathematics in which algebra is applied to the study of geometry. Because algebraic methods were first systematically applied to geometry in 1637 by the French philosopher-mathematician René Descartes, the subject is also called…

A framework for solving a problem. The analytic hierarchy process is a systematic procedure for representing the elements of any problem. It organizes the basic rationality by breaking down a problem into its smaller constituents and then calls for…

Substances suitable for the nutrition of animals, including livestock and poultry feed and pet food. Animal feed includes plant and animal products and by-products as well as vitamin and mineral supplements. Livestock and poultry feed In formulating…

An annual herb, Pimpinella anisum (family Apiaceae), whose fruit is used to provide food flavoring and to make a distilled oil. Anise is one of the earliest aromatics mentioned in literature. The anise plant (see illustration) is an annual herb that…

The superficial contents of a geometrical figure of two dimensions. The area of any rectangle or square is the product of two adjacent sides, one of which may be called the base and the other the altitude. In general, any line segment that partially…