Questions tagged [terminology]

Questions of the kind "What's the name for a X that satisfies property Y?"

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Who coined "mob" and "clan" and why these words?

A mob is a word used for a topological semigroup which is a Hausdorff space. A clan is a compact connected mob with a two-sided identity element. Who used these words with these meanings first and ...
Michał Masny's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
187 views

Is there a name for the level-sets of the signed distance function to a set in a metric space?

$\newcommand \X {\mathcal{X}}$ $\newcommand \sd {d_{\rm sign}}$ Let $(\X, d)$ be a metric space and define the distance between a point $x \in \X$ and a set $S \subset X$ by $d(x,S) = \inf_{y \in S} d(...
Travis's user avatar
  • 75
3 votes
2 answers
1k views

Why the 'S' in S-procedure/S-lemma?

The S-procedure (also called as S-lemma) is a technique from V. A. Yakubovich that is used to relax a system of quadratic inequalities to a linear matrix inequality problem. It is used largely in ...
Tadashi's user avatar
  • 1,580
19 votes
2 answers
5k views

Why is a matrix pencil called a pencil?

I'm trying to understand the historical context behind the word pencil in matrix pencils, or pencil of curves so on. I am aware that even Gantmacher 1959 has this terminology however I don't know ...
percusse's user avatar
  • 295
0 votes
0 answers
35 views

Terminology for conditions on the negation of relations.

Suppose you have a relation $R$ and you want to impose the condition upon the relation $\lnot R$ that it be (e.g.) transitive. What would be a good terminology in this case? Would $counter transitive$ ...
Frode Alfson Bjørdal's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
137 views

Intuitive meaning of benign subgroup

Disclaimer! This is a copy of a question I posted on M.SE! I still think the question belongs there but I'm not getting any answers so I'm dublicating with slight changes: I've been studying a proof ...
ShlomiF's user avatar
  • 373
2 votes
2 answers
958 views

Term for vertex connected to every other vertex in a graph

Do you know a good common term for the operation of connecting a new vertex v to every vertex in a graph G (or a term for such vertex v)? The ones I know give me poor search results: a nice word ...
Valentas's user avatar
  • 253
2 votes
0 answers
173 views

Does this symmetrization operator have a name? Any theory?

Consider a function $f(x_1,\ldots,x_n)$ of $n$ complex variables. Define $$f_{\mathrm{symm}}(x_1,\ldots,x_n) = 2^{-n}\sum_{\varepsilon_1,\ldots,\varepsilon_n=\pm 1} f(\varepsilon_1x_1,\ldots,\...
Brendan McKay's user avatar
15 votes
2 answers
7k views

Is there a standard notation for off-diagonal transpose?

Given a matrix $A=\begin{pmatrix}a&b\\c&d\end{pmatrix}$, its transpose, obviously, is $A^T=\begin{pmatrix}a&c\\b&d\end{pmatrix}$. But is there a conventional way of notating the matrix ...
j0equ1nn's user avatar
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14 votes
2 answers
747 views

Why is "The Higman Rope Trick" thus named?

I'm studiyng Higman's Embedding Theorem, and a fundamental part of the proof is the following lemma: If R is a benign normal subgroup of finitely generated group F, then F/R can be embedded in a ...
ShlomiF's user avatar
  • 373
11 votes
0 answers
665 views

Who first talked about "holes" in homology?

The question Why do the homology groups capture holes in a space better than the homotopy groups? and many others here use the idea that homology counts the ``holes'' in a space. The comments on this ...
Colin McLarty's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
215 views

Continuous-piecewise-linear versus piecewise-linear

Some authors use the term "continuous piecewise-linear" where other authors use the shorter term "piecewise-linear" (with continuity tacit). I'd be interested in people's thoughts about this ...
James Propp's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
716 views

Why are they called ‘pernicious’ numbers?

A pernicious number is a positive integer such that the Hamming weight of its binary representation is prime. [Wikipedia] The meaning of ‘pernicious’: pernicious (adj.): highly injurious or ...
hb20007's user avatar
  • 247
8 votes
1 answer
599 views

Why is this group called "The Holomorph of a group"

Many years ago I found in google the notation "Holomorph of group". It is the semi direct product of $G$ with $Aut(G)$. Why is the term "Holomorph" used here, while it is usually used for complex ...
Ali Taghavi's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
398 views

Has this construction, which builds a symmetric multicategory from a commutative monoid, been described or studied anywhere, and if so, where?

Whenever $R$ is a commutative ring, write $R[x^{(n)}]$ for the set of all $p \in R[x]$ such that $p$ is a monic polynomial of degree $n$. Then $R[x^{(n)}]$ is not closed under sums, nor does it ...
goblin GONE's user avatar
  • 3,693
5 votes
1 answer
257 views

Is there a standard name for this poset

I've run into the following poset and I would expect it has a standard name. Let $n\geq k\geq 0$. Then $P_{n,k}$ consists of all $k$-element subsets of $\{1,\ldots,n\}$ ordered by $X\leq Y$ if $X=\{...
Benjamin Steinberg's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
198 views

Terminology question for maps between posets

Let $P$ and $Q$ be two poset (partially ordered sets) and $\phi : P \to Q$ an order-preserving function. I would like to know whether there is a name and perhaps a different characterizations of such ...
Aleš Bizjak's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
1k views

Polar Coordinate Systems on Manifolds [closed]

Is there agreement on how to interpret $r$ and $\varphi$ on a manifold if a reference point and a reference direction are given, or, put differently, does the definition of a reference point and, of a ...
Manfred Weis's user avatar
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4 votes
5 answers
1k views

A generalized diagonal?

A simple question. Let $ f:X\to Y $ be a function and let $ E_f:=\{(x, y): f (x)=f (y)\}\subset X\times X $. What is the name of the set $ E(f) $? It would be nice to have some reference also. It ...
Vladimir Tkachev's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
105 views

How would you call a variety that is locally a complete intersection up to defect c?

Let $X$ be an equidimensional variety of dimension $n$ over a field that can be covered by open subvarieties of certain intersections of $N-n$ hypersurfaces in $P^N$ (for a large enough $N$; we ...
Mikhail Bondarko's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
176 views

Integrating factors and integrability of an ODE system

The following argument is from a paper about the Bendixson-Dulac Theorem. Consider a smooth differential equation on the plane $$ x'=g(x,y),\quad y'=h(x,y). $$ Suppose there exists a function $...
user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
222 views

The Euler characteristic of Hilbert series

The Hilbert series of a graded vector space $V=\bigoplus_{n\mathbb Z}V_n$ is the (ordinary) generating function of the dimensions of its homogeneous components, $h_V(t)=\sum_{n\in\mathbb Z}t^n\dim V_n$...
Mariano Suárez-Álvarez's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
263 views

What is the standard name of an edge-graph

Given a graph $G=(E,V)$, I construct a graph $G'$ where the vertices of $G'$ are given by the edges of $G$ and say that two edges of $G$ are neighbors in $G'$ if they have a common vertex. Is there a ...
syg's user avatar
  • 71
1 vote
0 answers
120 views

Properties and name of some polynomials

I have encountered in a problem some polynomials given by $P_k(x) = \prod_{j=0}^{k-2} (kx-j)$. I need to understand if these polynomials are known, and if they have certain special properties, as ...
Geno Whirl's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
2k views

Intersection of nonzero prime ideals is zero -- does it have a name?

The Rabinowitch trick (in Eisenbud's Commutative Algebra with a view toward Algebraic Geometry, page 132) says that $R$ (commutative unital ring) is Jacobson if and only if for every prime ideal $P \...
Jason Howald's user avatar
32 votes
2 answers
1k views

Term for "uncheckable constructions"

Is there a term for "uncheckable geometric constructions"? Say, Angle Trisection and Doubling the Cube are checkable; i.e., if the answer is given one can do finite Compass-and-straightedge ...
Anton Petrunin's user avatar
13 votes
1 answer
1k views

Between compact and locally uniform: What is the name of this convergence?

Let $X$ be a topological space, $(Y,d)$ a metric space, $f\in Y^X$, and $(f_n)$ a sequence in $Y^X$ with the following property: For every $x_0\in X$ and every $\varepsilon>0$, there exist a ...
Lutz Mattner's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
104 views

Standard names and methods for this type of fitting minimization

In material science research, we have come across the following type of problem. Given a m by n matrix A, a m vector b, and error tolerance $\varepsilon$, we want to do this minimization $$\eqalign{ ...
user40780's user avatar
  • 867
1 vote
0 answers
70 views

Name for generalization of bivariate weighted-homogeneous polynomials

A polynomial $f = \sum_j c_j X^{\alpha_j}Y^{\beta_j}\in\mathbb K[X,Y]$ is said weighted-homogeneous if there exist $p$, $q$ and $d$ (where $p$ and $q$ are not both $0$) such that $p\alpha_j+q\beta_j=d$...
Bruno's user avatar
  • 456
2 votes
0 answers
64 views

Combination of convex and multiplicative structures

Combination of linear and multiplicative structures gives an algebra. What if instead of a linear structure one has a convex one? Is there a term for this? A natural example is provided, for ...
R W's user avatar
  • 16.6k
10 votes
1 answer
1k views

Optimal definition of "paving by affine spaces"?

Cell decompositions have been used in topology for a long time as a tool in computing cohomology, but the notion in algebraic geometry and arithmetic geometry of paving by affine spaces (or "affine ...
Jim Humphreys's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
427 views

Characteristic Varieties and Associated Varieties

Two notions that occur often in representation theory seem to be that of a "characteristic variety" and that of an "associated variety". The former term seems exclusive to D-module theory while the ...
user61567's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
171 views

Uniformizing a relation on ordered sets

Suppose $A$ and $B$ are (complete) ordered sets. Suppose $R\subseteq A\times B$, and $f(a)=\inf\{b : (a,b)\in R\}$ $g(b)=\inf\{a : (a,b)\in R\}$ then what can we call $f$ and $g$? Perhaps there is ...
Bjørn Kjos-Hanssen's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
2k views

Partial inverse of a matrix - or does it have its own name?

In my calculations I need to use something which is "between" a matrix and its inverse. That is, I invert only some dimensions. I am interested if it has an established name. That is, a matrix (here ...
Piotr Migdal's user avatar
  • 1,592
1 vote
1 answer
100 views

Name for (function, set) pairs?

Right now I'm working on a topological graph theory problem. To prove a theorem I introduced some objects. Has anyone heard of something similar before? I would like to call them by the right name. ...
pre-kidney's user avatar
  • 1,289
-1 votes
1 answer
135 views

terminology: "complex" and "sequence" in homological algebra

It appears that the terms "complex" and "sequence" are used synonymously in homological algebra. But there seem to be collocations (in the linguistic sense) that prefer one of those words. For ...
shuhalo's user avatar
  • 4,736
1 vote
1 answer
255 views

Name for series $\sum f_n x^n / (n! (n+k)!)$

Let $(f_n)_{n\ge0}$ be a real sequence. Then $\sum f_n {x^n \over n!}$ is called the exponential generating function of $(f_n)$. Let $k\ge0$ be a nonnegative integer. If we add another factorial $(n+...
Y. Pei's user avatar
  • 247
2 votes
1 answer
309 views

Reference request for generalization of groups with out identity element?

In other words what do we call a magma which is associative and has divisibility property but not existence of identity? Or a groupoid when it loses the identity property? A reference on such ...
Ten's user avatar
  • 143
2 votes
0 answers
108 views

Name of a difference of continuants

I am getting ready to publish the manuscript http://arxiv.org/pdf/1408.4631v2.pdf and I am trying to do due diligence on a quantity I study before it gets published. (This is cross-posted from Name/...
Barry's user avatar
  • 1,501
3 votes
2 answers
230 views

What do you call a fixed point theorem for a mapping from a subset of a space to the whole space?

There are a number of fixed point theorems in which we have a map from some subset of a (metric, topological, ...) space to the whole space. (Usually, there is some condition regarding the behavior ...
mbork's user avatar
  • 131
1 vote
0 answers
213 views

Proving identity involving delta-functions

Lately I came across the following identity: $lim_{\eta\rightarrow0}\lim_{\delta\rightarrow0}2\eta\frac{1}{\omega-z_1-i\eta}\frac{1}{\omega-z_2+i\eta}\frac{1}{z_3-\epsilon-i\delta}\frac{1}{z_2+z_3-...
yarchik's user avatar
  • 482
5 votes
1 answer
962 views

Decomposition vs filtration vs stratification

Are there accepted/standard definitions of "decomposition", "filtration", and "stratification" of a topological space (or of a manifold, or of an algebraic variety) $X$? I tend to understand "...
Qfwfq's user avatar
  • 22.7k
6 votes
3 answers
371 views

Does this property of a first-order structure imply categoricity?

Let $\mathfrak{A}$ be a first-order structure over a relational language and let $\kappa$ be an infinite cardinal. Lets say that $\mathfrak{A}$ has the $\kappa$-property if for every structure $\...
Ramiro de la Vega's user avatar
5 votes
0 answers
150 views

Star shaped sets with a midpoint

Suppose $U$ is an open subset of $\mathbb{R}^n$ which is star shaped with respect to $p\in U$. I'll call $p$ a midpoint of $U$ if for any line $\ell$ through $p$, the point $p$ is the midpoint of the ...
Andy Sanders's user avatar
  • 2,890
6 votes
1 answer
3k views

The ten martini problem - reason for name

Why is the problem called the ten martini problem? Sounds like an interesting name for people who drink.
Turbo's user avatar
  • 13.7k
6 votes
2 answers
520 views

Morphisms every pushout of which is a weak equivalence

Let $M$ be a category equipped with a class of weak equivalences $W$. Is there a name for a morphism $f$ such that every pushout of $f$ (including, of course, $f$ itself) is a weak equivalence? For ...
Mike Shulman's user avatar
49 votes
9 answers
6k views

What recent programmes to alter highly-entrenched mathematical terminology have succeeded, and under what conditions do they tend to succeed or fail?

I think we all occasionally come across terminology that we'd like to see supplanted (e.g. by something more systematic). What I'd like to know is, under what circumstances is it reasonable to believe ...
4 votes
3 answers
825 views

"countable" topology

Given universal set $U$. Is there any name of the collection of subsets of $U$ (call them quasi-open) satisfying the following axioms: i) $\emptyset$ and $U$ are quasi-open; ii) finite intersections ...
Fedor Petrov's user avatar
50 votes
3 answers
11k views

How did "normal" come to mean "perpendicular"?

How and when did the word "normal" acquire this meaning? When I first thought of this, I couldn't really come up with any explanation that wasn't complete speculation -- pretty much all I ...
Michał Masny's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
1k views

Origin of the term "generic" in set theory

In set theory, in particular the context of forcing, if $M$ is a model of $\sf ZFC$ and $P\in M$ is a partial order, we say that $G\subseteq P$ is a generic filter (or $M$-generic or generic over $M$) ...
Asaf Karagila's user avatar
  • 38.1k

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