What is Nonlinearity?

Nonlinearity refers to a situation in which variables do not exhibit a linear relationship, but rather exhibit changes that are not proportional to the change of the input. Nonlinearity is studied in mathematics, statistics, and science and is often of interest to professionals in these fields. Usually, most systems are nonlinear given that a change in the proportion of a variable is not constant to a change in an input.

How is Nonlinearity Used?

Nonlinearity comes to bear when studying a cause and effect relationship between variables and inputs. It is vital to develop hypotheses that explain nonlinear systems and events. Without explanation, nonlinearity can lead to chaotic systems that will be dominated by random behavior, unpredictability and sometimes approximation. Nonlinearity also occurs in regression patterns or regression analysis.