What does the term “arbitrary number” mean in math?
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What does "arbitrary number" means in math? I've often seen this vocabulary but I can't find the meaning of it. For example, I'll see phrases like "arbitrary positive integer".
terminology definition
edited Dec 22 '18 at 17:13
Mike Pierce
11.7k103584
asked Dec 17 '18 at 18:45
Mohammed RizqallahMohammed Rizqallah
88
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add a comment |
$begingroup$
What does "arbitrary number" means in math? I've often seen this vocabulary but I can't find the meaning of it. For example, I'll see phrases like "arbitrary positive integer".
terminology definition
edited Dec 22 '18 at 17:13
Mike Pierce
11.7k103584
asked Dec 17 '18 at 18:45
Mohammed RizqallahMohammed Rizqallah
88
$endgroup$
5
$begingroup$
"Arbitrary" basically means "any". So if we say something like "let $n$ be an arbitrary integer", you can think of this as "let $n$ be any integer"
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– pwerth
Dec 17 '18 at 18:50
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The way I explain it to my students, for example: "Let $k$ be an arbitrary positive integer. I don't care what it is, it's just a positive integer."
$endgroup$
– Sean Roberson
Dec 22 '18 at 17:16
add a comment |
$begingroup$
What does "arbitrary number" means in math? I've often seen this vocabulary but I can't find the meaning of it. For example, I'll see phrases like "arbitrary positive integer".
terminology definition
edited Dec 22 '18 at 17:13
Mike Pierce
11.7k103584
asked Dec 17 '18 at 18:45
Mohammed RizqallahMohammed Rizqallah
88
$endgroup$
What does "arbitrary number" means in math? I've often seen this vocabulary but I can't find the meaning of it. For example, I'll see phrases like "arbitrary positive integer".
terminology definition
terminology definition
edited Dec 22 '18 at 17:13
Mike Pierce
11.7k103584
asked Dec 17 '18 at 18:45
Mohammed RizqallahMohammed Rizqallah
88
edited Dec 22 '18 at 17:13
Mike Pierce
11.7k103584
asked Dec 17 '18 at 18:45
Mohammed RizqallahMohammed Rizqallah
88
edited Dec 22 '18 at 17:13
Mike Pierce
11.7k103584
edited Dec 22 '18 at 17:13
Mike Pierce
11.7k103584
edited Dec 22 '18 at 17:13
Mike Pierce
11.7k103584
11.7k103584
asked Dec 17 '18 at 18:45
Mohammed RizqallahMohammed Rizqallah
88
asked Dec 17 '18 at 18:45
Mohammed RizqallahMohammed Rizqallah
88
asked Dec 17 '18 at 18:45
Mohammed RizqallahMohammed Rizqallah
88
88
5
$begingroup$
"Arbitrary" basically means "any". So if we say something like "let $n$ be an arbitrary integer", you can think of this as "let $n$ be any integer"
$endgroup$
– pwerth
Dec 17 '18 at 18:50
$begingroup$
The way I explain it to my students, for example: "Let $k$ be an arbitrary positive integer. I don't care what it is, it's just a positive integer."
$endgroup$
– Sean Roberson
Dec 22 '18 at 17:16
add a comment |
5
$begingroup$
"Arbitrary" basically means "any". So if we say something like "let $n$ be an arbitrary integer", you can think of this as "let $n$ be any integer"
$endgroup$
– pwerth
Dec 17 '18 at 18:50
$begingroup$
The way I explain it to my students, for example: "Let $k$ be an arbitrary positive integer. I don't care what it is, it's just a positive integer."
$endgroup$
– Sean Roberson
Dec 22 '18 at 17:16
5
5
$begingroup$
"Arbitrary" basically means "any". So if we say something like "let $n$ be an arbitrary integer", you can think of this as "let $n$ be any integer"
$endgroup$
– pwerth
Dec 17 '18 at 18:50
$begingroup$
"Arbitrary" basically means "any". So if we say something like "let $n$ be an arbitrary integer", you can think of this as "let $n$ be any integer"
$endgroup$
– pwerth
Dec 17 '18 at 18:50
$begingroup$
The way I explain it to my students, for example: "Let $k$ be an arbitrary positive integer. I don't care what it is, it's just a positive integer."
$endgroup$
– Sean Roberson
Dec 22 '18 at 17:16
$begingroup$
The way I explain it to my students, for example: "Let $k$ be an arbitrary positive integer. I don't care what it is, it's just a positive integer."
$endgroup$
– Sean Roberson
Dec 22 '18 at 17:16
add a comment |
1 Answer
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Dictionary definition: based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.
That's exactly what it means, even in the context of math.
answered Dec 17 '18 at 21:53
Aditya DuaAditya Dua
1,15418
$endgroup$
add a comment |
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$begingroup$
Dictionary definition: based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.
That's exactly what it means, even in the context of math.
answered Dec 17 '18 at 21:53
Aditya DuaAditya Dua
1,15418
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Dictionary definition: based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.
That's exactly what it means, even in the context of math.
answered Dec 17 '18 at 21:53
Aditya DuaAditya Dua
1,15418
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Dictionary definition: based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.
That's exactly what it means, even in the context of math.
answered Dec 17 '18 at 21:53
Aditya DuaAditya Dua
1,15418
$endgroup$
Dictionary definition: based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.
That's exactly what it means, even in the context of math.
answered Dec 17 '18 at 21:53
Aditya DuaAditya Dua
1,15418
answered Dec 17 '18 at 21:53
Aditya DuaAditya Dua
1,15418
answered Dec 17 '18 at 21:53
Aditya DuaAditya Dua
1,15418
answered Dec 17 '18 at 21:53
Aditya DuaAditya Dua
1,15418
1,15418
add a comment |
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$begingroup$
"Arbitrary" basically means "any". So if we say something like "let $n$ be an arbitrary integer", you can think of this as "let $n$ be any integer"
$endgroup$
– pwerth
Dec 17 '18 at 18:50
$begingroup$
The way I explain it to my students, for example: "Let $k$ be an arbitrary positive integer. I don't care what it is, it's just a positive integer."
$endgroup$
– Sean Roberson
Dec 22 '18 at 17:16