family of curves

American  

noun

Mathematics.

1. a collection of curves whose equations differ only by values assigned a parameter or parameters.

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Example Sentences

After observing overcurved rings of various sizes and materials, the researchers found a family of curves with fairly simple mathematical descriptions that they believed would model the shapes these overcurved rings take in space.

From Scientific American

The relation expressing the equation of the envelope is called a singular solution of the differential equation, meaning an isolated solution, as not being one of a family of curves depending upon an arbitrary parameter.

From Project Gutenberg