Parameter vs. Perimeter — What's the Difference?

A limit or boundary defining the scope of a particular process or activity.

The sum total of the lengths of the sides of a polygon.

A numerical or other measurable factor forming part of a set that defines a system or sets the conditions of its operation.

The continuous line forming the boundary of a closed geometric figure.

An element that determines the nature, behavior, or output of a function or system.

A boundary line of any area or surface.

In statistics, a parameter is a quantity that influences the distribution of a population.

The measurement of the distance around something.

A parameter (from the Ancient Greek παρά, para: "beside", "subsidiary"; and μέτρον, metron: "measure"), generally, is any characteristic that can help in defining or classifying a particular system (meaning an event, project, object, situation, etc.). That is, a parameter is an element of a system that is useful, or critical, when identifying the system, or when evaluating its performance, status, condition, etc.

A perimeter is either a path that encompasses/surrounds/outlines a shape (in two dimensions) or its length (one-dimensional). The perimeter of a circle or an ellipse is called its circumference.

A numerical or other measurable factor forming one of a set that defines a system or sets the conditions of its operation

The continuous line forming the boundary of a closed geometrical figure

A limit or boundary which defines the scope of a particular process or activity

An instrument for measuring the extent and characteristics of a person's field of vision.

A constant in an equation that varies in other equations of the same general form, especially such a constant in the equation of a curve or surface that can be varied to represent a family of curves or surfaces.

A closed line bounding a plane area.

One of a set of independent variables that express the coordinates of a point.

The length of such a line.

One of a set of measurable factors, such as temperature and pressure, that define a system and determine its behavior and are varied in an experiment.

The outer limits of an area.

Usage Problem A factor that restricts what is possible or what results

A defended boundary protecting a military position.

A factor that determines a range of variations; a boundary

(Basketball) The three-point line.

(Statistics) A quantity, such as a mean, that is calculated from data and describes a population.

(mathematics) The sum of the distance of all the lengths of the sides of an object.

Usage Problem A distinguishing characteristic or feature.

(mathematics) The length of such a boundary.

A value kept constant during an experiment, equation, calculation, or similar, but varied over other versions of the experiment, equation, calculation, etc.

The outer limits of an area. circumference

(sciences) A variable that describes some system (material, object, event, etc.) or some aspect thereof.

A fortified strip or boundary usually protecting a military position.

(statistics) Any measured quantity of a statistical population that summarises or describes an aspect of the population.

An instrument for determining the extent and shape of the field of vision.

(machine learning) A variable of a model that is trained by a machine learning algorithm.

The outer boundary of a body or figure, or the sum of all the sides.

(programming) An input variable of a function definition, that gets an actual value (argument) at execution time.

An instrument for determining the extent and shape of the field of vision.

An actual value given to such a formal parameter.

The boundary line or the area immediately inside the boundary

A characteristic or feature that distinguishes something from others.

A line enclosing a plane areas

(geometry) In the ellipse and hyperbola, a third proportional to any diameter and its conjugate, or in the parabola, to any abscissa and the corresponding ordinate.

The size of something as given by the distance around it

(crystallography) The ratio of the three crystallographic axes which determines the position of any plane.

The outermost limits or edge of an area or surface.

(crystallography) The fundamental axial ratio for a given species.

A constant number which is part of a theory, function, or calculation, whose value is not determined by the form of the theory or equation itself, and may in some cases be arbitrary assigned.

A term applied to some characteristic magnitude whose value, invariable as long as one and the same function, curve, surface, etc., is considered, serves to distinguish that function, curve, surface, etc., from others of the same kind or family.

Any constant number which is required to calculate values of observed phenomena according to a theory, but the value of which must be determined by experiment, and cannot be calculated from the fundamental assumptions of the theory. In general, a theory which has a large number of parameters, though it may accurately predict experimental results, is considered as having less explanatory power and as being less esthetically pleasing than a theory with fewer parameters.

The ratio of the three crystallographic axes which determines the position of any plane; also, the fundamental axial ratio for a given species.

The limits, guidelines, or assumptions from within which an activity is carried out; as, new arrivals need to learn the parameters of the research in our department.

A variable used in a calculation within a computer program which must be assigned a value before the calculation can be performed; as, let's plug in the parameters and see what the result is.

A characteristic or element, especially one used as a criterion for evaluation or judgment; as, a useful parameter for determining efficiency.

A constant in the equation of a curve that can be varied to yield a family of similar curves

Any factor that defines a system and determines (or limits) its performance

A quantity (such as the mean or variance) that characterizes a statistical population and that can be estimated by calculations from sample data

A characteristic or constant factor considered for analysis or calculation.

In mathematics, a parameter is a quantity that defines certain characteristics of a function or system and can affect its behavior.

In geometry, the perimeter is the total length of the boundary of a two-dimensional figure.

To find the perimeter of a rectangle, add twice the length to twice the width (P = 2l + 2w).

Yes, parameters can also be non-numerical, representing categories or sets of rules in a system.

No, parameters are used in a variety of fields including mathematics, science, computing, and more to describe influential factors.

Yes, the perimeter is a linear measurement, so it is always measured in units of length.

Yes, changing parameters can significantly affect the results of a model or experiment.

Yes, parameters can often be adjusted or changed depending on the desired outcome of the system.

Parameters are essential in programming as they define the conditions under which a program operates.

Yes, the perimeter will change if the shape's size changes or if it transforms into a different shape.

In security, perimeter refers to the outermost boundaries of a secured area which are monitored or patrolled.

Yes, perimeter is used in everyday language to describe the outer boundary of an area.

Parameters are specific kinds of variables that define a system's operation; they are often constant in the context of a particular function.

No, despite sounding similar, they have different origins; "parameter" comes from the Greek "para-" meaning beside, and "metron" meaning measure, while "perimeter" comes from "peri-" meaning around.

No, a single, closed, two-dimensional shape has one continuous perimeter.