Node (autonomous system)

The behaviour of a linear autonomous system around a critical point is a node if the following conditions are satisfied: Each path converges to the or away from the critical point (dependent of the underlying equation) as [math]\displaystyle{ t \rightarrow \infty }[/math] (or as [math]\displaystyle{ t \rightarrow - \infty }[/math]). Furthermore, each path approaches the point asymptotically through a line.