fudge factor: n. [common] A value or parameter that is varied
in an ad hoc way to produce the desired result. The terms
`tolerance' and slop are also used, though these usually indicate
a one-sided leeway, such as a buffer that is made larger than
necessary because one isn't sure exactly how large it needs to be,
and it is better to waste a little space than to lose completely for
not having enough. A fudge factor, on the other hand, can often be
tweaked in more than one direction. A good example is the `fuzz'
typically allowed in floating-point calculations: two numbers being
compared for equality must be allowed to differ by a small amount;
if that amount is too small, a computation may never terminate,
while if it is too large, results will be needlessly inaccurate.
Fudge factors are frequently adjusted incorrectly by programmers who
don't fully understand their import. See also coefficient of X.
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