In mathematics, what is a placeholder?
By Emma Payne •
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Google defines the word placeholder in the following image:
My question is: Is this the only definition of the word placeholder in mathematics?
I am thinking along the lines:
If $M = p^k m^2$ is a (hypothetical) number, and it logically follows (from known properties of $M$) that the condition $k = 1$ always holds, then $k$ is a placeholder for $1$.
Your thoughts?
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