distribution

A continuous functional on a space of test functions (Schwartz space), which generalizes the concept of locally integrable functions

EntityQ865811

Also known as generalized function · Schwartz distribution

Subclass of: mathematical object
, functional
, mathematical concept

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · Read full article · Text CC BY-SA 4.0

In mathematical analysis, distributions are a type of generalized function that makes it possible to differentiate functions whose derivatives do not exist in the classical sense. In particular, any locally integrable function has a distributional derivative. Distributions are widely used in the theory of partial differential equations, where it may be easier to establish the existence of distributional solutions than classical solutions, or appropriate classical solutions may not exist. Distributions are also important in physics and engineering where many problems naturally lead to differential equations whose solutions or initial conditions are distributions, such as the Dirac delta function.

Overview

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20 statements · 25% with external sources · numbers in brackets are citations

Said to be the same as: generalized function
Different from: product distribution criterion used: label or alias has more than one meaning in one or more languages

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15 identifiers linking distribution across the web's reference databases

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statements

25%

externally sourced

Source last edited September 12, 2026. AIDB refreshes this page daily.

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AIDB. (2026). distribution (Q865811). Retrieved from https://aidb.si/e/distribution-Q865811