characteristic function

noun, Mathematics
1.
a function defined on a given set, having value 1 for every element of the set and value 0 for every element not contained in the set.
2.
characteristic polynomial.
Origin
1875-80
British Dictionary definitions for characteristic function

characteristic function

noun
1.
(maths) a function that assigns the value 1 to the members of a given set and the value 0 to its nonmembers
2.
(statistics) a function derived from the probability distribution function that enables the distribution of the sum of given random variables to be analysed
characteristic function in Technology

mathematics
The characteristic function of set returns True if its argument is an element of the set and False otherwise.
(1995-04-13)