All Questions
542 questions
5
votes
0
answers
131
views
Why $f^\lambda$ in the hook-length formula?
This is my first question on this site so I apologize if it’s not adequate for it.
I just learned the hook-length formula for the number $f^\lambda$ of Standard Young Tableaux of shape $\lambda$:
$$f^\...
5
votes
0
answers
121
views
Adjunction symbol
What are the reasons for the adjunction symbol $F\dashv G$ for a pair of functors $F:C\to D$ and $G:D\to C$? There is no explanation or motivation in the article of Kan where adjunctions are ...
5
votes
0
answers
186
views
Examples of partial adjoints
Recall that a functor $$R: D \to C$$ is said to have a partial left adjoint $L$ defined at an object $X \in C$ if the functor
$$D \to Sets, Y \mapsto Hom_C(X, R(Y))$$
is corepresentable by some object ...
5
votes
0
answers
640
views
What does $\omega^*$ mean? [closed]
I've recently found in some short article (source below) the symbol $\omega^*$ (generally, starred ordinal number), but without explanation what that symbol means. From the context I understood that ...
5
votes
0
answers
361
views
Notation for calculus with measures?
One of the strengths of ordinary multivariable calculus is that you can use notation where functions are expressed pointwise (e.g. $\int_a^b x^2 \, \mathrm{d}x$ rather than merely $\int_a^b f$), and ...
5
votes
0
answers
2k
views
A course on modern algebraic geometry from "The Stacks Project"
I hope this question is viable for this site. I'm sincerely sorry, if you think it isn't.
For a lot of time, "EGA" by Alexander Grothendieck and Jean Dieudonne was "the" reference on the basics of ...
4
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Is the notation $f(x)$ "deprecated by professional mathematicians" (as claimed by Wolfram)? [closed]
Wolfram's MathWorld website, at the page on functions, makes the following claim about the notation $f(x)$ for a function:
While this notation is deprecated by professional mathematicians, it is ...
4
votes
4
answers
973
views
Understanding reasons for best constants in inequalities
Why, in functional analysis, is so important to calculate best constant in an embedding inequality?
Cross-posted from "https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/727690/understanding-reasons-for-best-...
4
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Is there a standard notation for binary relations in category theory?
In set theory, I learned that a binary relation is simply a subset of a Cartesian product. Moving on to category theory, it seems that this definition is not enough. Just as a function is no longer ...
4
votes
5
answers
12k
views
What is the difference between the biconditional iff. and equality = ?
Hello,
I've been used to writing logical transformations using equality, but the other day it struck me that perhaps I should be using the biconditional $\iff$?
So my question is:
What is the ...
4
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Does f(x)~g(x) imply $f(x) \asymp g(x)$?
I'm going to be clear about definitions before I start so there's no ambiguity. Let D be a subset of the complex numbers and let $f: D \to \mathbb{R}^{+}$ be a positive real-valued map defined on D. ...
4
votes
4
answers
4k
views
Variation on the Sobolev space $H^1_0$
Let $\Omega\subset\mathbb{R}^n$ be a bounded open set, let
$$
C^1_0(\overline\Omega) = \{u\in C^1(\Omega)\cap C(\overline\Omega):u|_{\partial\Omega}=0\},
$$
and let $C^1_c(\Omega)$ be the space of ...
4
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Chalkboard eraser [closed]
I just started my first year of university and because I'm visually impared I have trouble seeing what's written on the chalkboard.
I've partially solved this problem by purchasing chalk from hagoromo ...
4
votes
3
answers
507
views
Defining negation
I'm currently coauthoring a book intended to teach first-year students basic proof techniques. One of the chapters, written by my coauthor, is about basic logic. In that chapter the negation of a ...
4
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Standard notation/symbol for an embedding function
Hello everyone,
Suppose that I am defining a function which embeds a surface (manifold) in $\mathbb{R}^3$.
Is there a standard symbol or letter that is used for this function?
Additionally, is ...
4
votes
2
answers
813
views
QFT and its notations
I know hardly anything about quantum field theory (QFT) but I'm giving a try to understand some ideas of it. As far as I understand, in QFT one is interested in studying measures such as:
\begin{...
4
votes
2
answers
399
views
Terminology for metrics?
For some reason, I'm currently interested in the following relation - let $d,\delta$ be two metrics on some space $X$. We call the metrics _______ if there are some constants $C,E>0$ such that for ...
4
votes
1
answer
2k
views
When is the Siegel-Walfisz theorem non-trivial?
The following paragraph appears in Analytic Number Theory (Iwaniec, Kowalski):
The Siegel-Walfisz theorem asserts that:
$\displaystyle \hspace{5cm} \psi(x;q,a) = \frac{x}{\phi(q)} + O(x(\log x)^{-A})...
4
votes
2
answers
869
views
Terminology question on covering spaces
I'm teaching an elementary class about fundamental groups and covering spaces. It was very useful to use "fool's covering spaces" of a space $X$, defined as
functors $\Pi_1(X)\to Sets$, where $\Pi_1(X)...
4
votes
1
answer
127
views
Question about the notation $N_{\chi}(\alpha, T)$, the number of zeroes of the $L(s, \chi)$ in a rectangle
I am confused with what seems to be a standard notation in analytic number theory and I'd appreciate any clarification. I am interested in the zero density estimates, for example link.springer.com/...
4
votes
1
answer
183
views
Notation for weak derivatives
I remember that, as a student, I felt a bit uncomfortable because I had to use the same notation (say $f'$, $D^\alpha f$, $\frac{\partial f}{\partial x^j}$, $\nabla \cdot f$ etc...) for classical and ...
4
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Notation for algebras
Is there standard notation for
(1) exterior algebras
(2) free graded commutative algebras
(3) divided polynomial algebras ?
I've seen (and used) $\Lambda$, $\Gamma$, $\Delta$ etc. used for ...
4
votes
1
answer
610
views
Notation: Categories of measur(abl)e spaces
Is there a common notation in the literature for
the category of measurable spaces and measurable maps?
the category of measure spaces and measure-preserving maps?
The nlab suggests $\mathsf{Measble}...
4
votes
3
answers
674
views
Is there a (standard) name for $\bar{A}\setminus A$?
This is a notation question:
If $A$ is a set in a topological space and $\bar{A}$ is its closure, is there a (standard) name for $\bar{A}\setminus A$?
4
votes
2
answers
287
views
Teaching suggestions for Kleene fixed point theorem
I will take over two lectures from a colleague in which we discuss fixed point theory in the context of complete partial orders, and culminates in showing the Kleene fixed point theorem (see f.e. ...
4
votes
1
answer
274
views
Notation for upperbound power sets.
There is a standard notation $\mathrm{ZF}[n]$ for Zermelo Fraenkel set theory with the power set axiom restricted to saying the set of natural numbers has $n$ successive power sets $\beth_0\dots\...
4
votes
1
answer
784
views
Notation diversity
This morning I had a brief discussion about different notations of trigonometric functions in Europe, so I looked for an online resource dealing with these diversities in mathematical notation. I ...
4
votes
1
answer
441
views
How to teach generalizing the induction hypothesis? [closed]
I just finished teaching a class on using proof assistants (in this case, Agda) to write provably correct programs. Reflecting on how it went, the biggest difficulty I noticed the students having was ...
4
votes
1
answer
222
views
Why is there a discrepancy between the normalizations of the central terms for the commutation relations of the Virasoro versus Neveu-Schwarz Lie algebras?
Following the standard conventions in the literature, the commutation relations of the Virasoro Lie algebra are given by
$$[L_m,L_n]=(m-n)L_{m+n}+\delta_{m,-n}\frac1{12}(m^3-m)c,$$
$$[c,L_n]=0.$$
...
4
votes
1
answer
690
views
What does $L^\infty_\varepsilon$ mean?
In Volume 4 of Reed and Simon on page 83 the authors refer to the space $(L^\infty(\mathbb{R}^3))_\varepsilon$,
and later on page 119 they use $L^\\infty_\varepsilon$.
Are these two spaces the same? ...
4
votes
0
answers
160
views
Proof of Theorem 9.2 of the book Cubic Forms by Yu. I. Manin (end of page 37)
I warn that I first posted this question in Mathematics Stack Exchange but it got no attention at all. I think that it fits better there by its explanatory nature but maybe the book being reference is ...
4
votes
0
answers
180
views
Ideals with certain properties
I recently isolated the following definition, which I believe it should have appeared somewhere.
Let $\kappa$ be a cardinal, and let $X$ be a set with $\kappa^+\leq |X|$.
Definition: An ideal
$\...
4
votes
0
answers
197
views
Who introduced the heart ($\mathcal{C}^\heartsuit$) notation in the context of $t$-structures on triangulated categories?
In the context of $t$-structures
([Wikipedia],
[nLab],
[Notes I],
[Notes II],
[HA, Definition 1.2.1.11)],
[BBD, Définition 1.3.1]),
one often writes $\mathcal{C}^\heartsuit$ for the heart of a ...
4
votes
0
answers
283
views
Pairing in Group Cohomology [closed]
I am following Ararat Babakhanian's Cohomological Methods in Group theory.
Let $A,B,C$ be $G$ modules then we have a $G$ module structre on $\text{Hom}_{\mathbb{Z}}(B,C)$ with $$\sigma.f(x)=\sigma(f\...
4
votes
0
answers
111
views
Is there a name for groups of the form $Sp(1)^n$?
A (compact) torus is a Lie group isomorphic to the product of finitely many circles: $T^n = S^1 \times \cdots \times S^1$. Such groups are extremely important in Lie theory, Differential Geometry, ...
4
votes
0
answers
4k
views
Pronunciation of ¡ (inverted exclamation mark, historically used for subfactorial)
For anyone who uses ¡ (inverted exclamation mark) in a mathematical context, how do you pronounce it?
Background: I have privately been using ¡ in a couple of notations for a while, and am ...
4
votes
0
answers
176
views
Are injective modules flabby on basic open sets?
In order to give a simple proof of a basic fact about quasi-coherent modules (see below), I'm interested in knowing whether the following statement holds:
Statement: If $A$ is a commutative ring and $...
4
votes
0
answers
796
views
Almost linear ODE: how node becomes a spiral
Most introductory ODE books contain a discussion of almost linear systems, and there are two cases when the behavior of an almost linear system near an equilbrium point can differ from the behaviour ...
3
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Teach a course in 1 month
I need to teach an intro course on number theory in 1 month. I was just notified. Since I have never studied it, what are good books to learn it quickly?
3
votes
2
answers
651
views
Can this informal argument (for the fact that almost all reals in the unit interval are irrational) be saved?
In the textbook from which I am teaching a Discrete Math course, the authors propose randomly generating an infinite sequence of decimal digits $d_1, d_2, \dots$. We are to think of this as the ...
3
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Pedagogical question concerning $\Gamma(z)$
Pedagogically speaking, I see two problems with defining
$\Gamma(z)$ (at least for real $z$) by the limit
$$\Gamma(z)=\lim_{m\to\infty}\frac{m! m^z}{\prod_{i=0}^m (z+i)}$$
as compared with the formula
...
3
votes
2
answers
957
views
Simple definition of the Hausdorff measure using squared paper
I am giving a "non-technical" seminar in which I would like to give an elementary introduction to the Hausdorff dimension and measure.
For simplicity, I was hoping to give a more intuitive ...
3
votes
1
answer
323
views
Name and properties of $\mathrm{lcm}(\{1,\,\cdots,\,n\})$ [closed]
one of the most prominent functions of the first $n$ natural numbers is the factorial $n!$ that denotes their product.
Today however I wondered whether the least common multiple $\mathrm{lcm}(n):=\...
3
votes
4
answers
514
views
Better terminology than "equivalence class of functions"
Let $X = C(\mathbb R)$ be the Fréchet space of real-valued continuous functions. For each $f \in X$ and each compact set $D \subseteq \mathbb R$, let $$[f]_D = \{ g \in X : \mbox{$g(t) = f(t)$ for ...
3
votes
4
answers
3k
views
two sequences whose difference converges to zero
Is there a name for the relationship between sequences $A_n$ and $B_n$ which means that the sequence $A_n - B_n$ converges to zero? I want to say something like "sequence $A$ converges to sequence $B$...
3
votes
1
answer
271
views
Elementary classification of division rings
Are there examples (other than the two mentioned below) of fields $K$ such that the classification of all finite dimensional division $K$-algebras is possible using only elementary theory (lets say a ...
3
votes
3
answers
515
views
undergraduate handle decomposition. Reference
As the title says, I'm searching for a nice textbook for introducing the theory of handle decomposition of manifolds to undergraduate students.
3
votes
3
answers
2k
views
What to teach in a second graduate course in algebra? What textbook to use?
There is a standard syllabus for a first graduate course in algebra. One teaches groups,
rings, fields, perhaps a little bit of Galois theory, perhaps a little bit of
category theory, perhaps a ...
3
votes
2
answers
141
views
Accessible literature on fractional dimensions of subsets of $\mathbb R^n$
I am currently wondering whether it is realistically possible to choose the topic "Fractals and fractal dimensions" for a seminar aimed at undergraduate students in the 2nd semester, with ...
3
votes
1
answer
977
views
Notation for "the inclusion map is a homotopy equivalence"
It's sometimes convenient to have different notations for "$A$ is a subset of $B$" depending on what the inclusion map does:
If it's non-surjective, $A\subsetneq B$ or $A\subset B$, depending on your ...