Binary operation: Difference between revisions

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imported>Jochen Burghardt
Terminology: suggest to remove incomprehensible sentence
 
imported>Rgdboer
m Terminology: lk George Grätzer
 
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:<math>\,f \colon S \times S \rightarrow S.</math>
:<math>\,f \colon S \times S \rightarrow S.</math>


If <math>f</math> is not a [[Function (mathematics)|function]] but a [[partial function]], then <math>f</math> is called a '''partial binary operation'''. For instance, division is a partial binary operation on the set of all [[real numbers]], because one cannot [[Division by zero|divide by zero]]: <math>\frac{a}{0}</math> is undefined for every real number <math>a</math>.  In both [[model theory]] and classical [[universal algebra]], binary operations are required to be defined on all elements of <math>S \times S</math>. However, [[partial algebra]]s<ref name="Gratzer2008">{{cite book|author=George A. Grätzer|title=Universal Algebra|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780387774862|url-access=registration|year=2008|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=978-0-387-77487-9|at=Chapter 2. Partial algebras|edition=2nd}}</ref> generalize [[universal algebra]]s to allow partial operations.
If <math>f</math> is not a [[Function (mathematics)|function]] but a [[partial function]], then <math>f</math> is called a '''partial binary operation'''. For instance, division is a partial binary operation on the set of all [[real numbers]], because one cannot [[Division by zero|divide by zero]]: <math>\frac{a}{0}</math> is undefined for every real number <math>a</math>.  In both [[model theory]] and classical [[universal algebra]], binary operations are required to be defined on all elements of <math>S \times S</math>. However, [[partial algebra]]s<ref name="Gratzer2008">{{cite book|author=George A. Grätzer|author-link=George Grätzer |title=Universal Algebra|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780387774862|url-access=registration|year=2008|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=978-0-387-77487-9|at=Chapter 2. Partial algebras|edition=2nd}}</ref> generalize [[universal algebra]]s to allow partial operations.


Sometimes, especially in [[computer science]], the term binary operation is used for any [[binary function]].
Sometimes, especially in [[computer science]], the term binary operation is used for any [[binary function]].
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Binary operations are often written using [[infix notation]] such as <math>a \ast b</math>, <math>a+b</math>, <math>a \cdot b</math> or (by [[Juxtaposition#Mathematics|juxtaposition]] with no symbol) <math>ab</math> rather than by functional notation of the form <math>f(a, b)</math>.  Powers are usually also written without operator, but with the second argument as [[superscript]].
Binary operations are often written using [[infix notation]] such as <math>a \ast b</math>, <math>a+b</math>, <math>a \cdot b</math> or (by [[Juxtaposition#Mathematics|juxtaposition]] with no symbol) <math>ab</math> rather than by functional notation of the form <math>f(a, b)</math>.  Powers are usually also written without operator, but with the second argument as [[superscript]].


Binary operations are sometimes written using prefix or (more frequently) postfix notation, both of which dispense with parentheses.  They are also called, respectively, [[Polish notation]] <math>\ast a b</math> and [[reverse Polish notation]] <math>a b \ast</math>.
Binary operations are sometimes written using prefix or postfix notation, both of which dispense with parentheses.  They are also called, respectively, [[Polish notation]] <math>\ast a b</math> and [[reverse Polish notation]] <math>a b \ast</math>.


== Binary operations as ternary relations ==
== Binary operations as ternary relations ==