What is a "secular equation"?

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Golub mentioned "secular equation" in his Matrix Computation and a slide. However I still don't get its definition. How is a secular equation defined? Thanks!

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1 Answer

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A secular equation is another name for the characteristic equation.

The reason it is called "secular" is because it was first used in calculations relating the planetary motion:

The etymological root of "secular" is "saeculum," meaning "of an age."

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