control variable


control variable

[kən′trōl ‚ver·ē·ə·bəl] (control systems) One of the input variables of a control system, such as motor torque or the opening of a valve, which can be varied directly by the operator to maximize some measure of performance of the system.

control variable

In programming, a variable that keeps track of the number of iterations of a process. Its value is incremented or decremented with each iteration, and it is compared to a constant or other variable to test the end of the process or loop.