AI engineering glossary · Calculus optimisation
What is continuity?
Continuity: A property of a function whose graph has no jumps, gaps or breaks: a tiny change in the input causes only a tiny change in the output. Differentiation requires it, and most smooth losses and activations used in training are continuous.
Continuity: an example
f(x) = x^2 is continuous everywhere, while a step function that jumps from 0 to 1 at x = 0 is not continuous at 0.
Related terms
More Calculus optimisation terms
- Convergence
- Convergence rate
- Convex function
- Convex optimisation
- Convex set
- Coordinate descent
- Cosine annealing
- Derivative
Where you learn it
Continuity is part of the AI Engineering Program, which teaches it with notes, a hands-on lab and an exam. The first lesson is free.