Symbols and Jargon

Symbols and Jargon#

Glossary. Let me know what I’ve missed.

\(\land\)#

Logical AND. \(a \land b\) means \(a\) is true AND \(b\) is true

\(\lor\)#

Logical OR. \(a \lor b\) means \(a\) is true OR \(b\) is true (or possibly both)

\(\implies\)#

Logical implication. \(a \implies b\) means IF \(a\) is true THEN \(b\) is true (anything can happen if \(a\) is false)

\(\iff\)#

If and only if. \(a \iff b\) means \(a \implies b \land b \implies a\), i.e. \(a\) and \(b\) are equivalent.

\(\forall\)#

For all … For example, \(\forall x \in \mathbb{N}, x < x + 1\) just says every \(x\) is less than \(x + 1\) (which is true)

\(\exists\)#

There exists… For example, \(\exists x \in \mathbb{N}, x = x + 1\) just says there is some number \(x\) such that \(x = x + 1\) (which is false)

\(\sum\)#

The sum of the whatever comes after. For example \(\sum_{i=1}^5 i^2 = 1^2 + 2^2 + 3^2 + 4^2 + 5^2\)

\(\prod\)#

The product of whatever comes after. For example, \(\prod_{i=1}^5 i^2 = 1^2 \times 2^2 \times 3^2 \times 4^2 \times 5^2\)

Set#

Just a bunch of stuff written between \(\{\) and \(\}\). See this section for more info.

Function#

Mapping between sets, written \(f: A \to B\). See this section for more info.

Bijection#

A special type of function \(f: A \to B\) in which pairs every element of \(B\) with exactly one element of \(A\).

Number#

Amounty thing.

Additive Number#

Numbers from the perspective of \(+\).

Multiplicative Number#

Numbers from the perspective of \(\times\).

Productive Number#

Numbers from the perspective of \(\prod_i p_i^{x_i}\) (\(p_i\) is ith prime).

Factorization#

Breaking a number down into its prime exponents.

Partial Order#

A way of comparing stuff \(x \leq y\) with fairly general requirements. See here.

Total Order#

Partial order where everything is comparable.