The notation "θ(n)" is used in computer science to describe the asymptotic behavior of functions, particularly in the analysis of algorithms. It provides a way to express the tight bounds on the growth rate of a function as the input size, denoted by n, increases. Specifically, θ(n) indicates that a function grows at the same rate as n for large values of n, meaning it is both upper and lower bounded by linear functions. In formal terms, a function f(n) is said to be θ(n) if there exist positive constants c₁, c₂, and n₀ such that for all n ≥ n₀, c₁ * n ≤ f(n) ≤ c₂ * n. This notation helps in comparing the efficiency of different algorithms, allowing developers to understand how the performance of an algorithm scales with larger inputs.