In order to understand and provide useful information about a process, it is necessary to understand how different processes and systems can be represented. In practice, there exist two main types of representations: mathematical and schematic. A mathematical representation focuses on providing an abstract description of the process that provides information about the process. A good mathematical representation of the system can provide a deep understanding of how the system works and how it will behave in the future. Common mathematical representations include state-space models, transfer-function models, and automata.