Editing Linear approximation (section)

{{short description|Approximation of a function by its tangent line at a point}}
[[File:TangentGraphic2.svg|thumb|300px|Tangent line at (''a'', ''f''(''a''))]]
In [[mathematics]], a '''linear approximation''' is an approximation of a general [[function (mathematics)|function]] using a [[linear function]] (more precisely, an [[affine function]]). They are widely used in the method of [[finite differences]] to produce first order methods for solving or approximating solutions to equations.