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So, I was looking though a problem section in Dummit and Foote, and found this amusing "definition." I actually tried googling it, but I can't find any reference to these associated primes being called "assassins," so I guess it's there just for the humor?

Hi

Someone also pointed out to me the fact that one of the section titles, "A Word on Free Groups," has a pun in it, something I hadn't even noticed.

Do Dummit and Foote, or any other "dry" math textbooks, have terse bits of humor like this?

Nishant
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  • Does Lang's exercise on homological algebra count? –  Jun 26 '14 at 15:11
  • Sure! But I think he removed it in the most recent edition? – Nishant Jun 26 '14 at 20:29
  • Yes, unfortunately. –  Jun 26 '14 at 20:36
  • do any other textbooks...have terse bits of humor like this? I don't even think this counts as very humorous, given the commonality of memorably chosen names. The counter question is "do you think mathematicians are obligated to think up the most boring bland and unentertaining word they can think of to name a thing? – rschwieb Jun 26 '14 at 21:54

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I haven't read Dummit and Foote, but googling assassin together with "associated prime" did bring up a few algebraic references, for instance this question on MO. It seems that the term assassinator is also used with the same meaning.

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Per Erik Manne
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