base case
A "base case" serves as a foundation or terminating condition in various fields, ensuring processes or proofs have a starting or stopping point.
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Definition
B2Programming
(technical, academic)A condition in a recursive function that stops further calls and provides a direct solution.
Example
- In the factorial function, the base case is when n equals 0 or 1.
B2Mathematics
(technical, academic)The initial step in mathematical induction, proving the statement for the smallest value.
Example
- To prove the formula by induction, we first establish the base case for n = 0.
B2Finance
(business)The most likely scenario in financial projections, used as a reference for comparison.
Example
- The base case assumes a steady growth rate of 3% over the next year.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "base case":