These are
functions which cannot be represented in the form:
Pn * yn + ... + P1 * y + P0 = 0
Where the P's are polynomials in x with rational coefficients. For example: The function
y = 1/(√(x+1))
is not transcendental because it can be split up into seperate polynomials:
P2 = x + 1, P1 = 0, and P0 = -1
Common tanscendental functions include the basic trigonometric functions such as sine and cosine, their inverses, exponential, and logarithmic functions.