Term of the Moment

Cyber Pearl Harbor


Look Up Another Term


Definition: figure of merit


The quantity used as the measurement of effectiveness of a system. The figure of merit (FOM) is determined by the primary characteristic that makes something fit for a specific purpose. For example, a digital camera's figure of merit is its sensor resolution, while the FOM in a loudspeaker is the frequency response. The figure of merit may be a simple metric or be derived by an intricate algorithm. See resolution and frequency response.