Questions tagged [terminology]
For questions about terms, definitions and related concepts used in science and mathematics.
354
questions
3
votes
1
answer
128
views
Origin of the expression "Open problem"
Google Ngram shows that the expression "open problem" started to be in use around the end of the 19th century.
My question is then 2-fold:
Who coined the expression? Wikipedia doesn't seem ...
- 1,039
1
vote
1
answer
102
views
Definition and Name Change of the Oscillation Function
I have two related questions:
Who first defined the oscillation function (perhaps under a different name)?
When did the switch from the phrase "saltus function"(*) to "oscillation ...
- 3,959
1
vote
0
answers
71
views
Usage of "sphere" as ball's surface vs as ball itself
In everyday English, "sphere" means a round object. People will think of the insides as part of the sphere.
In Mathematics it specifically means the surface of the ball.
How did the ...
- 121
2
votes
0
answers
71
views
Who coined the name "cosmological constant"?
I am aware that Albert Einstein first added the $\Lambda$-term to his field equations in his 1917 paper "Cosmological considerations in the general theory of relativity" (german: "...
Octavius
2
votes
0
answers
65
views
When was Lipschitz equivalence first attributed to Lipschitz or did Lipschitz formulate it himself?
In his book Introduction to Metric and Topological Spaces, author Wilson A Sutherland in explaining the equivalence of metrics invoked the definition:
Two metrics $d_1, d_2$ on a set $X$ will be ...
- 411
2
votes
0
answers
395
views
When was the term "Sparingly soluble" first introduced in chemistry?
This question is inspired from: Why do we call salts such as AgCl sparingly soluble?
The extent of solubility can be expressed as descriptive terms. U.S. Pharmacopoeia has made the following ...
- 260
10
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What is the origin of the negation ( ¬ ) operator from logic?
I'm curious as to what the rationale was, and who the idea occurred to, for the ¬ symbol. I'll grant that more common mathematical symbols like +, −, × and ÷ are also likely unknown, but they seem to ...
- 211
5
votes
1
answer
170
views
Did Kronecker's "ganzen Zahlen" refer to whole numbers as natural numbers or integers?
Maybe this is a question better for German language Stack Exchange, but in the quote attributed to Kronecker:
Die ganzen Zahlen hat der liebe Gott gemacht, alles andere ist Menschenwerk.
So "...
- 73.6k
5
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What is the origin of the term "Ordinary Differential Equation"?
Who first used the term "Ordinary Differential Equation (ODE)"? Is it known why the word "ordinary" is used here? What makes an ODE "ordinary"?
- 2,147
2
votes
1
answer
133
views
Origin of the term "affixe"/"affix" in the geometric treatment of complex numbers
In current French mathematical tradition, when introducing complex numbers, it is common to hear about "complex plane of Argand-Cauchy".
What is particular in French treatment, it is the ...
- 241
15
votes
1
answer
368
views
First use of "Spur" (trace) for linear maps / matrices
Every student of linear algebra learns about the trace of a linear map. Its easiest (albeit not most conceptual) definition is: write the map as matrix, then the trace is the sum of the diagonal ...
4
votes
3
answers
12k
views
Was the word 'gravity' an invention of Newton?
Before Newton many phycisists try to understand nature and the rotations of planets. But Newton founded his laws of gravity. But was he the first who used the word gravity or when was it first used? ...
- 4,265
2
votes
0
answers
38
views
At what point did "Archean" go from meaning the entire Precambrian to just the middle part?
I can't find the exact date when the Archean began to mean "the middle of the Precambrian", as opposed to the beginning or the whole thing. It is some time after 1925 and before 1972.
...
- 592
2
votes
1
answer
118
views
Why is $T_{\mu\nu}$ the Standard Notation for the Stress-Energy-Momentum Tensor
My question is simple: why do we use $T_{\mu\nu}$ to denote the stress energy momentum tensor, and when was the concept of the stress energy tensor first (or roughly the first) introduced (and by whom)...
- 73.6k
11
votes
3
answers
700
views
Why don't we name the Higgs boson a "higgson"?
We have fermions (named after Fermi) and bosons (named after Bose). Why don't we name the particle corresponding to the Higgs field a "higgson"? The superpartner particle (sparticle) of the Higgs ...
- 1,039
3
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Why is the letter $b$ used to represent the y-intercept in the equation of straight line?
The slope-intercept form of a non-vertical line is $y=mx+b$. I have been told that the slope is called $m$ because it is the first letter of the French word for mountain. But why is there the letter $...
- 2,147
1
vote
1
answer
260
views
Why is thermodynamics called thermodynamics?
Thermodynamics is derived from two Greek words
Therme, which means heat
Dynamis, which means power
We know that 'thermodynamics' encapsulates many concepts like energy, temperature, entropy, exergy, ...
- 2,147
1
vote
1
answer
179
views
Who proclaimed separation of science from philosophy?
Historically (since 2500 years ago), philosophy - "love of wisdom" in Greek - encompassed all intellectual endeavors, and natural philosophy was seen as its part. However, these days the ...
- 686
5
votes
1
answer
347
views
Could a "field" have non-commutative multiplication originally?
Today, when the term "field" is defined in algebra, it is almost always stipulated that all fields are commutative. However, the author of these lectures says that this has not always been ...
- 203
9
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Why is the Sophie Germain Identity called thus?
Several authors (z.B.: Arthur Engel in his Problem-Solving Strategies, Alexander Bogomolny in this entry of the Cut the Knot website) refer to the following (straightforward) consequence of the ...
- 2,143
1
vote
0
answers
96
views
First example of regularization
Background:
I like to think of L'Hospital as one of the earliest authors of least-squares regression.
L'Hospital, G. (1696). L'analyse des infiniment petits pour l'intelligence des lignes
courbes.
I'm ...
- 159
0
votes
0
answers
70
views
Formal logic as a synonym to syllogistic logic, or as a name for the study of logic?
On page 443, section 1.1 Expanding to Contradiction, in José Ferreirós' A Road To Modern Logic - An Interpretation, the following is written:
Philosophical conceptions of logic have been complex and ...
- 14.3k
5
votes
1
answer
137
views
Who, between Cayley and Hamilton, first worked on the theorem that bears their name?
I know that Frobenius is the one who proved the Cayley-Hamilton theorem in all its generality. However, between Cayley and Hamilton, who did first work on the subject?
In English: Cayley–Hamilton ...
- 1,760
2
votes
0
answers
96
views
Context of the discovery of ultraproducts
Łoś's theorem is a fundamental theorem in model theory (a branch of mathematical logic).
Historical question: What was Łoś's original motivation to define ultraproducts and prove Łoś's theorem? Which ...
- 21
4
votes
1
answer
364
views
Where does "the grating equation" come from? Does it have a another name?
What we often refer to as Snell's law:
$$n_1 \sin(\theta_1) - n_2 \sin(\theta_2) = 0$$
has quite a bit of history behind it. It can be demonstrated in several ways, one of which is by asserting that ...
- 2,143
3
votes
0
answers
88
views
The term "constant" in "integration by parts" ("partielle Integration")
In Riemann's "Ueber die Darstellbarkeit einer Function durch eine trigonometrische Reihe", Riemann mentions taking a factor as "constant" in "partial integration", which ...
- 1,811
2
votes
2
answers
453
views
What or who is Peloritan in the name "Accademia Peloritana dei Pericolanti"?
The University of Messina has a scientific organization and publication "Accademia Peloritana dei Pericolanti", see 1. What is the origin and meaning of the word "peloritana"?
- 111
1
vote
1
answer
115
views
Early uses of the word "operator" in mathematics
I'm looking for early uses of the word "operator" in mathematics and how it evolved to become a synonym for the modern "function" in certain areas. Jeff Miller's page only has an ...
- 3,959
9
votes
3
answers
957
views
Why are "join" and "meet" named as they are?
In the context of partially ordered sets, why are the words for supremum and infimum "join" and "meet"? I find the nomenclature puzzling, especially since the English words "join" and "meet" are ...
4
votes
3
answers
255
views
What was the significance of Eisenstein's discovery of invariants?
I am trying to decipher a portion of James Joseph Sylvester's 1869 address entitled "The Study That Knows Nothing of Observation", which, among other things, surveys the landscape of 19th century ...
- 966
10
votes
1
answer
516
views
How did the terms "center" and "centralizer" come up in group theory?
Usually the word center means the center of a circle. I have encountered the word center in group theory, but do not see any connection with the center of a circle. I think the history of group theory ...
- 2,147
0
votes
1
answer
123
views
Why some calculations noted as "sym^2" and "sym", while others noted as "symA" and "symB", where "symB" is the square root of "symA"?
Today I learnt that the standard deviation is calculated as square root of the mean of the squares of the deviations from the arithmetic mean of the distribution. The mean of the squares of the ...
1
vote
0
answers
154
views
Classification of "Epitaph of Diophantus" problem
The well-known riddle of the Epitaph of Diophantus, attributed to Metrodorus, is one of the style of simple problem in algebra whose pattern when expressed in contemporary algebraic notation is:
$$x = ...
- 2,147
0
votes
1
answer
123
views
Is it known who coined the term Episteme?
I thought that such old terms wouldnt be known who "created" them, but terms of the same time like Natural Philosophy and Philosophy are said to be created by Aristotle, and believed to be ...
- 1,760
0
votes
0
answers
108
views
History of PSL(2,Z)
I want to know the mathematician who named PSL(2,Z) as the modular group first. Also, I would be pleased if someone suggest to me some papers about the history of the modular group. Thanks a lot in ...
- 2,147
6
votes
1
answer
394
views
Definition of ordinal multiplication
The ordinal multiplication $\cdot$ can be defined recursively via ordinal addition $+$ for any ordinal $\alpha$ as follows:
$\alpha\cdot 0=0$.
$\alpha\cdot (\beta+1)=\alpha\cdot \beta+\alpha$ for any ...
- 2,147
0
votes
0
answers
38
views
Terms for different types of clouds before 1770?
Using Google Books I couldn't find any reference to cumulus clouds before 1772. What terms were used for the different types of clouds before 1772, if there were specific terms?
- 143
0
votes
1
answer
91
views
Theorem or equation self-named after the same person that published it? [duplicate]
In the history of science, has there ever been a theorem/equation/law that is named after a person and has been coined that name by the same person?
Example: let's say somebody named Trevor discovers ...
- 547
16
votes
3
answers
3k
views
What was the Big Bang model originally called?
The name "Big Bang theory" was coined by Sir Fred Hoyle. What did scientists originally call the Big Bang model?
- 160
7
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Why is magnetic flux density named after Nikola Tesla?
I have my respect for Mr Tesla, but it seems weird that "he" was chosen to be the units of magnetic flux density. I mean, he didn't contribute much to magnetic fields theory, nor did he work ...
- 1,039
1
vote
0
answers
650
views
How has $\tan(x)$ become more popular than $\operatorname{tg}(x)$?
I know that some Eastern European and Middle Asian countries denote the tangent by $\operatorname{tg}$. For many years, I have used $\tan$ instead, but am currently thinking of changing that notation ...
- 1,039
1
vote
2
answers
191
views
Why is it called a group action?
A group action has two laws which roughly correspond to associativity and identity
$
\phi : (G : \textrm{Group}) \times (S : \textrm{Set}) \rightarrow S \\
\forall a, b : G . \forall c : S. \phi(a,\...
- 878
23
votes
2
answers
15k
views
What is the etymology behind sine, cosine, tangent, etc.?
I heard somewhere that it was actually a mistake in translation. What's the correct story?
- 1
4
votes
1
answer
246
views
Hamiltonian $H$ named after Huygens?
This seems an unlikely origin of the abbreviation $H$ for Hamiltonian. Is there evidence for this nomenclature?
- 156
8
votes
3
answers
977
views
Why do we call a linear mapping "linear mapping"?
According to P. M. Cohn's Classic Algebra, for historical reasons we call a linear mapping "linear mapping". What are the historical reasons that led to the adoption of the term "linear ...
- 1,039
39
votes
2
answers
6k
views
Why do we call Tycho Brahe by his first name?
Why do we use the fist name in Tychonic system or Tycho's comet of 1577, instead of using the last name of Tycho Brahe?
For comparison, we have the Ptolemaic system and the Copernican system.
I am ...
- 353
6
votes
1
answer
302
views
What is the origin of "root" as a solution to an equation?
I was curious to know more on the history of the term "root", in the sense of "a value that results in a true statement, when substituted into an equation" (e.g., the roots of $2x^...
- 407
31
votes
1
answer
50k
views
Who first defined the "equal-delta" or "delta over equal" ($\triangleq$) symbol?
The symbol $\triangleq$ is sometimes used in mathematics (and physics) for a definition. It is instantiated for instance in the Unicode Character 'DELTA EQUAL TO' (U+225C).
The notation $t \triangleq ...
- 407
11
votes
3
answers
830
views
Why does the statute mile have the length that it has?
Why was our (statute) mile established as it was?
This happened in 1593, by the order of Elizabeth I which said:
"A Mile ſhall contain eight Furlongs, every Furlong forty Poles, and every Pole ...
- 219
2
votes
1
answer
121
views
What is the "Pix Hispana" that Niccolo Cabeus refers to?
In Niccolo Cabeo's 1629 work Philosophia Magnetica, in which he picks up on Gilbert's early electrical work in book 2, he lists a number of materials that can be electrified (book II. ch. XVII., p. ...
- 6,001