What is a solution in math?

Answer 1

The answer is the solution to the problem so you are about to solve it with an answer which is the solution. Did you get that?

A solution is:

"A means of solving a problem or dealing with a difficult situation.

The correct answer to a puzzle."

When specific to maths, a solution is an answer that fulfills certain criteria, or solves a specific problem. If you have found a solution you have found an answer to the question that works in every case. NOT NECESSARILY A NUMBER

A number is even and prime. If you say 8, you have not found a solution because although 8 is even, it is not prime. 2 however is a solution because 2 is both even and prime (the only even prime)

One problem can, however, have multiple solutions. If you write the equation:

x+3=4

you can solve to give x=1.

But if you write:

x2=4

it solves to give x= ±2 (+2 OR -2)

When doing applied maths, eg. like Dijkstra's algorithm the solution will be the shortest route from node A to node B. This is not a number, but a pathway.