simulation (simulation, systems) Attempting to predict aspects of the behaviour of some system by creating an approximate (mathematical) model of it. This can be done by physical modelling, by writing a special-purpose computer program or using a more general simulation package, probably still aimed at a particular kind of simulation (e.g. structural engineering, fluid flow). Typical examples are aircraft flight simlators or electronic circuit simulators.
A great many simulation languages exist, e.g. Simula. See also emulation, Markov chain. Last updated: 1995-02-23
