Definition of functional analysis in English English dictionary
The branch of mathematics dealing with infinite-dimensional vector spaces, whose elements are actually functions, as well as generalizations such as Banach spaces and Hilbert spaces
Branch of mathematical analysis dealing with functionals, or functions of functions. It emerged as a distinct field in the 20th century, when it was realized that diverse mathematical processes, from arithmetic to calculus procedures, exhibit very similar properties. A functional, like a function, is a relationship between objects, but the objects may be numbers, vectors, or functions. Groupings of such objects are called spaces. Differentiation is an example of a functional because it defines a relationship between a function and another function (its derivative). Integration is also a functional. Functional analysis focuses on classes of functions, such as those that can be differentiated or integrated