Question of the Day #1238

Tomorrow’s Needs: Michigan Tech Reaches an Inflection Point

From the headline of this article at Michigan Tech.

  上記の文で、inflection pointの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "inflection point" mean?

  答えは、コメントに書いてください。
Write your answer in the Comments.

明日、ここに答えを書きます。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

 

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解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

《数学》変曲点

となっていますが、これは数学的な意味なので、同ページのもう少し下を見ると”at an inflection point”の訳が

《be ～》転換点を迎えている

ということで、一般的にはinflection pointの意味は「転換点」になります。他の英語の熟語ではturning pointがほぼ同じ意味です。  

 

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

1. a moment when significant change occurs or may occur: TURNING POINT
2. mathematics: a point on a curve that separates an arc concave upward from one concave downward and vice versa

 

Examples

1. At 18, Bobby is at an inflection point that will largely determine the course of his life. — Stacy Perman
2. It depends on us, on the choices we make, particularly at certain inflection points in history; particularly when big changes are happening and everything seems up for grabs. — Barack Obama
3. This point in time feels like an inflection point in the world of tech. — 
Byrachyl Jones, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2023
4. The world is waking up to a new inflection point in the war in the middle east. — Nbc Universal, NBC News, 14 Apr. 2024
5. This inflection point comes after a year in which the U.K. at times suffered one of the highest death rates in the world. NBC News, 17 May 2021

   

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