Differential operator

In mathematics (particularly in differential calculus), a differential operator is an operator that takes a function as input, and returns a function as a result. Differential operators will differentiate the function in one or more variables. Probably the best known differential operator is differentiation itself, which is commonly written using [math]\displaystyle{ \tfrac{d}{dx} }[/math] (in Leibniz's notation) and [math]\displaystyle{ D }[/math] (in Euler's notation).

Differential Operator Media

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  A harmonic function defined on an annulus. Harmonic functions are exactly those functions which lie in the kernel of the Laplace operator, an important differential operator.

Related pages

• Divergence
• Laplace operator