We define three basic, calculable and measurable parameters. With these parameters we derive expressions for the radio frequency induced, beam induced, and loaded section voltages and average section gradients. Unlike the present well known expressions these alternate expressions are valid for continuous wave, pulsed, and single bunch beams, for both lossy and lossless sections and for both standing wave and travelling wave sections. We use these alternate expressions to maximize the efficiency and the gradient for a given peak power.