scalar
1. A single number, as opposed to a {vector} or
{matrix} of numbers. Thus, for example, "scalar
multiplication" refers to the operation of multiplying one
number (one scalar) by another and is used to contrast this
with "matrix multiplication" etc.
2.
In a {parallel processor} or {vector processor}, the "scalar processor" handles all the sequential
operations - those which cannot be parallelised or vectorised.
See also {superscalar}.
3.
A data type in {Perl} combining what in many other languages is either a {string} or a {number}.
(1998-12-18)