The parameter in mathematics -- the history of a subordinate variable? (Q2912399)

A story of the term ``parameter''. It appeared first 1631 in Mydorge's presentation of the Apolonius treaty on conic sections to denote a specific segment which, together with another one, allowed to define each point of the considered section. Within the frame of analytic geometry, Leibniz used the term to denote a segment which identified a curve in a considered class. The use of the term has been further extended by Euler in the 18th century and Riemann in the 19th century (just recall ``parametrization'' of surfaces by Euler and of manifolds by Riemann). Presently, the term is commonly used to denote an auxiliary variable of a special sort.NEWLINENEWLINEFor the entire collection see [Zbl 1242.01001].