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Questions tagged [terminology]

Questions on the usage and meaning of words in mathematics, the names for mathematical entities, and other such questions.

Terminology is a discipline that studies, among other things, the development of terms and their interrelationships. This tag is intended to be used for questions on the usage and meaning of words in mathematics, the names for mathematical entities, and other such questions.

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Why is the softmax function called that way?

I understand that the function "squashes" a real vector space between the values 0 and 1. However I don't see what this has to do with the "max" function, or why that makes it a "softer" version of the max function.
user56834
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Correct term for percentage in decimal form

I have 35% of something, but when I calculate how much that is I multiply the total by 0.35 Is there a unambiguous word for the decimal form of a percent? "Decimal" is too broad because it can refer to any number with a fractional component.…
gunfulker
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Is there a word similar to "iff" meaning "one and only one"?

I find the word "iff" for "if and only if" quite helpful for brief statements, but is there a similar one meaning "one and only one"? edit In light of the ambiguities some of the answers so far hint at, here's an example I'd like to shorten: Of the…
Tobias Kienzler
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What's the precise meaning of the expression "induced by" in mathematics?

It's been more than once I've found this expression "induced by", in a sentence of the form "$X$ is induced by $Y$, in mathematics and computer science. I usually associate "induced by" with "generated by". However, I am not always confident…
user168764
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What is the difference between Modulus, Absolute value and Modulo?

When referring to the absolute value I have said Modulus. People then correct me and say that that is the operation where you find the remainder. Then I get confused because I've seen people say modulo for the remainder operation. Also if my first…
Ali Caglayan
  • 5,726
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What is meant by canonical?

So I came across the term canonical multiple times by now, and still dont have a very good idea of what it means. So e.g. a matrix $M$ w.r.t. a canonical basis $B$. What is makes a basis canonical? What does the word even mean?
onimoni
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What's the terminology for whether a number is positive or negative?

Is there a word for the quality of a number to be either positive or negative? Consider this question: What's the ... (sign/positivity/negativity, but a word that could describe either) of number x? Also, is there an all-encompassing word for the…
silkfire
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intutive difference between linear map/transformation vs linear function

my linear algebr textbook defines a linear transformation/map as one that satisfies: i. T(u+v)=T(u) +T(v). ii. T(cu) = cT(u) However, what is traditionally called a linear function, in non-abstract algebra (or highschool algebra, or whatever…
user56834
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Difference in terminology between Let and Assume?

I was writing an solution to a problem in a textbook about how to factor a quadratic equation. I was told that my use of assume was incorrect and it should have used let; however, my teacher couldn't explain the reason why. Could someone explain…
yiyi
  • 7,352
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Math terminology: What are rules regarding hyphens? (Nonzero vs. non-zero)

This question is geared toward clarifying terminology in writing math. Which terms are correct and why? A set $E$ is non-empty. A set $E$ is nonempty. The number $x$ is non-negative. The number $x$ is nonnegative. The number $y$ is…
Xoque55
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What do you call numbers such as $100, 200, 500, 1000, 10000, 50000$ as opposed to $370, 14, 4500, 59000$

There are different categories of numbers that we use every day. Integers that written in decimal notation have $1, 2$ or $5$ as the leading figure, followed by none, one or more zeros. These are very common numbers, e.g. used in Bank notes: $1, 2,…
Shiplu Mokaddim
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Is there a term for the ratio of a function and its derivative?

Given a function $f(x)$ and its derivative $f'(x)$, is there a term for $\frac{f(x)}{f'(x)}$ or for $\frac{f'(x)}{f(x)}$?
Bitwise
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Why lower case "a" for "abelian group" and upper case "C" for "Cauchy sequence"?

This has been bugging me. Why is the lower case letter "a" used to spell "abelian group" when upper case letters are used to spell the terms, "Gaussian Integral", "Cantor set" or "Cauchy sequence"? Don't know where else to ask.
Ishfaaq
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Differences between variable and variate

From Wikipedia A random variate is a particular outcome of a random variable. If I understand correctly, a random variable is a measurable mapping, and a random variate is just a member of the codomain of a random variable. In general, what…
Tim
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How to say $(a,b]$ and $[a,b)$ in English?

I read on Mathworld they are called half-closed interval; however, it doesn't tell me how to say it in English. Also, how does one denote which one of the two options that is the one the one refering too. (I don't know how to say that better).
yiyi
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