Multiple
multiple (?), a. (Cf. F.multiple, and E. quadruple, and multiply.)
Containing more than once, or more than one; consisting of more
than one; manifold; repeated many times; having several, or many,
parts.
Law of multiple proportion (Chem.),
the generalization that when the same elements unite in more than
one proportion, forming two or more different compounds, the higher
proportions of the elements in such compounds are simple multiples of
the lowest proportion, or the proportions are connected by some
simple common factor; thus, iron and oxygen unite in the proportions
FeO, Fe2O3, Fe3O4, in
which compounds, considering the oxygen, 3 and 4 are simple
multiplies of 1. Called also the Law of Dalton, from its
discoverer. -- Multiple algebra, a branch
of advanced mathematics that treats of operations upon units
compounded of two or more unlike units. -- Multiple
conjugation (Biol.), a coalescence of many cells
(as where an indefinite number of amoboid cells flow together
into a single mass) from which conjugation proper and even
fertilization may have been evolved. -- Multiple
fruits. (Bot.) See Collective fruit,
under Collective. -- Multiple star
(Astron.), several stars in close proximity, which appear
to form a single system.
multiple , n. (Math.) Aquantity containing another quantity a number of times without a
remainder.
f A common multiple of two or more numbers
contains each of them a number of times exactly; thus, 24 is a
common multiple of 3 and 4. The least common
multiple is the least number that will do this; thus, 12 is
the least common multiple of 3 and 4.
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