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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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Is there an analogue of the word "parity" for infinite/finite?

We say that two integers have the same parity if they are both even or both odd. Is there a word like this but for infinite/finite instead of odd/even? That is, if a quantity $X$ is finite if and only if a quantity $Y$ is finite, can I express this…
D-Slo
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What is the term for the "naive" or "null" case?

What is the term for the "naive" or "null" case for something? It's like when you have a general rule for something, but a definition or a special case for the case where you're dealing with something degenerative, like the null set, or infinity, or…
cjohnson318
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Name of vector $(0,\dots,0,1,0,\dots,0)$

Is there a name generally accepted for vectors of the form $(0,\dots,0,1,0,\dots,0)\in \Bbb R^n$? I understand this is one of the members of the orthonormal base of $\Bbb R^n$, but I believe that in the context I'm using. it this characterisation…
Patricio
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Terminology to be used for components of equations

Equations have the property that we have a right hand side (rhs) that is equal to a left hand side (lhs), for example $\nabla^2(\psi)=f$ This is known as Poisson's equation. This can be re-written as $\nabla^2(\psi)-f=0$ What is the proper English…
user21
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Why do we use quadrangle (and triangle), but pentagon (and hexa- et al. -gon)?

The English language uses a different form for regular polygons of three or four sides than for five and larger. Is there a math-historical explanation?
BMeph
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Is there name for points where function abruptly changes its behaviour?

For example $f(x) = 1_{\{x < 0\}}x + 1_{\{x > 0\}}x^2$. Before and after $x = 0$ there are two different functions. Is there any name for such points? I am aware of critical points, extremum points, stationary points, inflection points
Kate
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Is the cardinality of a set its modulus?

Cardinality and modulus share a symbol ($|a|$). Is cardinality just a special name for the modulus of a set?
user773451
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Wording: can one say “syntax” in maths, actually means “language rules”?

A famous example of a so called syntactic consequence is a typing judgment: ex. if a context says a function f is of type t to t, and x is of type t, then the expression f(x) is valid and of type t. That is, f(x), taken for a sequence of symbols,…
Hibou57
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How do I pronounce $10^{-12}$?

I am aware that $10^{12} = 1,000,000,000,000$, which is called a Trillion. $10^{-12} = \frac{1}{1,000,000,000,000}$, which means 1 divided by a Trillion. The question is how do I pronounce it. Would I speak it as "ten to the power of negative…
WXJ96163
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Is $J[f]=f(a)+2$ a valid functional?

If a functional is a mapping from a function space into real numbers, then can something as simple as $J[f]=f(a)+2$, where $f$ is a function and $a$ is a real number, be regarded as a functional?
apadana
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Why are all the letters parameters in the Pythagorean theorem?

In this question, the letters $a,b,c$ for stating the Pythagorean theorem are said to be parameters. $$a^2+b^2=c^2$$ I am wondering if it is possible to set the letters $a,b$ to be variables and the letter $c$ to be a parameter as the equation of a…
MS.Kim
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Name of numbers which don't change the result

Is there a name for numbers which, for a particular calculation operator, don't change the result? E.g. while adding, $0$ does not affect the result, which is also why we choose it as the starting point for a sum. When multiplying, $1$ does not…
Thomas Weller
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Genus terminology

Why is the number of holes of a surface called genus? It is called "genre" in French and "Geschlecht" in German. Just out of curiosity, I used Google to find the answer but couldn't find anything yet.
user658650
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Is "just in case" the same as "if and only if"?

I am reading "Causal Models" by Christopher Hitchcock. He frequently uses the phrase "just in case"--is this the same as "if and only if"? Examples: Another example outside the context of definitions:
user694131
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Is collection a math object? or just an ordinary plain English word? could someone please give a complete list of similar notion?

In mathematics, a set is a well-defined collection of distinct objects, considered as an object in its own right. Is collection a math object? or just an ordinary plain English word? could someone please give a complete list of similar notion…
JJJohn
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