The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
Stochastic means involving chance or probability. A stochastic process is one that involves a random variable and depends on probability. It is a process that involves random behavior or is subject to probabilistic behavior. A dynamical system is deterministic if the future of that system is completely predictable from knowledge of its present state. If there is some intrinsic randomness in the system it makes the perfect prediction of the future of that system impossible and so it is considered a stochastic system. There may exist strong trends or correlations in such systems but there is always some element of uncertainty.
The word stochastic is derived from the Greek stokhastikos which is derived from stokhos meaning aim or goal. This word was originally derived from an Indo-European word, stegh, that is also the ancestor of the English word.
Stochastic calculus involves functions that contain a random variable or variables. Ordinary differential equations are normally interpreted as determining dynamical systems since they often describe evolution in time. These functions are deterministic, completely predictable, but there are circumstances where there is some intrinsic randomness and understanding these systems would involve stochastic calculus. Some stochastic processes can be called Markov processes if certain constraints are upheld.