fundamental theorem

noun

A theorem (or, in non-mathematical fields, a commonly accepted hypothesis) considered to be of central importance to a specified field.

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Meanings

nounfundamental theorem (plural fundamental theorems)

plural fundamental theorems

  1. mathematicsA theorem (or, in non-mathematical fields, a commonly accepted hypothesis) considered to be of central importance to a specified field.

    The first fundamental theorem of calculus states that the differentiation and integration are inverse operations: if a continuous function is first integrated and then differentiated, the original function is obtained[…].

    2010, Vasily E. Tarasov, Fractional Dynamics: Applications of Fractional Calculus to Dynamics of Particles, Fields and Media, Springer, page 247
    2 more examples

    In this and the next chapter I return to the fundamental theorems of welfare economics. In this chapter I argue that the first fundamental theorem of welfare economics—asserting the efficiency of competitive economics—is fundamentally flawed.

    1994, Joseph E. Stiglitz, Whither Socialism?, The MIT Press, page 27

    There are two fundamental theorems of calculus. Both relate differentiation to integration. In most calculus courses, the Second Fundamental Theorem is usually proved first and then used to prove the First Fundamental Theorem. Unfortunately, this results in a First Fundamental Theorem that is weaker than it could be.

    2012, Joseph L. Taylor, Foundations of Analysis, American Mathematical Society, page 114

Translations

Catalan teorema fonamental
  • teorema fonamentalfundamental theorem
Dutch hoofdstelling
  • hoofdstellingfundamental theorem
Esperanto fundamenta teoremo
  • fundamenta teoremofundamental theorem
French théorème fondamental
  • théorème fondamentalfundamental theorem
German Fundamentalsatz, Hauptsatz
  • Fundamentalsatzfundamental theorem
  • Hauptsatzfundamental theorem
Italian teorema fondamentale
  • teorema fondamentalefundamental theorem
Latin theōrēma fundāmentāle
  • theōrēma fundāmentālefundamental theorem
Portuguese teorema fundamental
  • teorema fundamentalfundamental theorem
Spanish teorema fundamental
  • teorema fundamentalfundamental theorem
Cite this entry
APA

fundamental theorem. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fundamental%20theorem

MLA

“fundamental theorem.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fundamental%20theorem. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fundamental theorem,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fundamental%20theorem.

Source: fundamental theorem on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.