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Equation 7 · Part 3 · The Metabolism of Civilization: Energy to 2100

Symbol b

LR=1−2−bLR = 1 - 2^{-b}
bb

What this part means

b is one of the signed contributions combined to compute the quantity on the left.

Its job in the formula

b is one of the signed contributions combined to compute the quantity on the left.

The passage around this formula

where the experience exponent b sets the learning rate LR = 1 - 2^{-b} , the fractional cost drop for every doubling of z . Way et al.'s working version of the same relationship is stated as a stochastic first-difference equation in log-cost against log-experience, with an estimated autocorrelation parameter of 0.19 held fixed…

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A variable is a named place for a value. Its letter is a local label: x can mean position in one formula and a data point in another.

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Sources cited in the surrounding passage

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