Which definition matches formula?

• A. A fixed or standard way of doing something
• B. Mathematical symbols that express a rule or a fact
• C. A recipe
• D. A plan

Answer: (A)

A formula is a fixed set of mathematical symbols that expresses a rule or relationship. It captures how quantities relate to each other in a concise, reusable way, which is why the best match is the definition that describes “mathematical symbols that express a rule or a fact.” For example, the area of a rectangle is written as A = bh, using symbols to state the rule that area equals base times height. A recipe describes steps to make something, a plan is a proposed method, and a fixed or standard way of doing something is a general procedure—none of these inherently use mathematical symbols to encode a relationship.