A polynomial sequence is a sequence of numbers or terms that can be defined by a polynomial function. Specifically, a sequence \( a_n \) is said to be a polynomial sequence if there exists a polynomial \( P(x) \) of degree \( d \) such that: \[ a_n = P(n) \] for all integers \( n \) where \( n \geq 0 \) (or sometimes for \( n \geq 1 \)).
A **polynomial ring** is a mathematical structure formed from polynomials over a given coefficient ring or field. Formally, if \( R \) is a ring (or a field), then the polynomial ring \( R[x] \) consists of all polynomials in the variable \( x \) with coefficients in \( R \).
The Tutte polynomial is a two-variable polynomial associated with a graph, which encodes various combinatorial properties of the graph. It is named after the mathematician W. T. Tutte, who introduced it in the 1950s.
Monadic predicate calculus is a type of logical system that focuses on predicates involving only one variable (hence "monadic"). In mathematical logic, predicate calculus (or predicate logic) is an extension of propositional logic that allows for the use of quantifiers and predicates. In monadic predicate calculus, predicates are unary, meaning they take a single argument. For example, if \( P(x) \) is a predicate, it can express properties of individual elements in a domain.
In logic, a second-order predicate is an extension of first-order logic that allows quantification not only over individual variables but also over predicates or sets of individuals. In first-order logic, you can have statements that quantify over objects in a domain (like "for every \(x\), \(P(x)\)").
The Borell–TIS (Truncation and Integration for Sums) inequality is a result in probability theory and the theory of Gaussian measures. It provides bounds on the tail probabilities of sums of independent random variables that have a certain structure, particularly in relation to Gaussian distributions. In simple terms, the Borell–TIS inequality helps to quantify how much the sum of independent random variables deviates from its expected value.
The term "point at infinity" can refer to different concepts depending on the context, particularly in mathematics and geometry. Here are a few interpretations: 1. **Projective Geometry**: In projective geometry, points at infinity are added to the standard Euclidean space to simplify certain aspects of geometric reasoning.
A Schlegel diagram is a geometric representation of a polytope, which is a high-dimensional generalization of polygons and polyhedra. Specifically, it is a way to visualize a higher-dimensional object in lower dimensions, typically projecting a convex polytope into three-dimensional space. Essentially, a Schlegel diagram allows us to see the structure of a polytope by looking at a "shadow" of it, emphasizing its vertices and faces.
Tropical projective space is a concept arising in tropical geometry, which is a piece of mathematics that studies geometric structures and mathematical objects using a combinatorial and polyhedral approach. Tropical geometry replaces classical algebraic geometry with a framework where arithmetic operations are modified in a specific way, leading to a simpler geometrical interpretation akin to a combinatorial structure.
Redundant proof, often referred to in the context of mathematics and logic, involves demonstrating a statement or theorem using multiple proofs that reiterate the same underlying principles or reasoning. Essentially, one proof does not provide any new insights or alternative approaches but instead reaffirms what has already been established. In a broader context, redundancy in proofs can serve specific purposes: 1. **Verification**: It can help confirm the validity of a theorem or statement by showing that it can be proven in different ways.
Adaptive Comparative Judgment (ACJ) is an assessment method primarily used in education to evaluate and compare student work or performance. It leverages the expertise of judges (such as teachers or industry professionals) who assess multiple pieces of work in relation to one another rather than against a fixed standard or rubric.
A "Donkey sentence" is a term used in linguistics to refer to a specific type of sentence that involves an indefinite pronoun and a specific reference that relies on context. The most famous example is the sentence: "Every farmer who owns a donkey beats it." In this example, "it" refers back to "a donkey," which is introduced by the indefinite article "a.
Hooke's atom refers to a model in physics that is based on the concept of a particle or an atom interacting through a spring-like potential. The idea is inspired by Hooke's law, which states that the force exerted by a spring is proportional to the displacement from its equilibrium position, typically expressed as \( F = -kx \), where \( k \) is the spring constant, and \( x \) is the displacement.
In formal logic, a bounded quantifier is a type of quantifier that applies to a specific subset or range of a given domain rather than the entire domain. It constrains the scope of the quantification to a specified limitation, which is typically represented by a variable or set of variables. To understand bounded quantifiers, it's helpful to compare them to unbounded quantifiers.
Non-Hermitian quantum mechanics is a framework that extends traditional quantum mechanics, which is typically built on Hermitian operators. In standard quantum mechanics, observables are represented by Hermitian operators on a Hilbert space, ensuring that measured values (eigenvalues) are real. However, in non-Hermitian quantum mechanics, certain operators that are not Hermitian are considered, leading to different interpretations and outcomes.
CNDO/2, which stands for **Complete Neglect of Differential Overlap, version 2**, is a semi-empirical quantum chemistry method used to approximate the electronic structure of molecules. It is part of the broader class of semi-empirical molecular orbital (MO) methods, which simplify the full quantum mechanical calculations by making certain approximations to reduce computational demands.
Laser science is the study of lasers (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) and their applications. A laser is a device that produces a coherent beam of light through the process of stimulated emission, where excited atoms or molecules release photons in a uniform direction. This results in light that is monochromatic (a single wavelength), coherent (light waves are in phase), and directional (focused in a narrow beam).
State-universal coupled cluster (SUCC) theory is an extension of traditional coupled cluster (CC) methods in quantum chemistry that aims to systematically describe excited states and ground states of many-body quantum systems. **Traditional Coupled Cluster Theory**: Coupled cluster methods are widely used in quantum chemistry to solve the many-body Schrödinger equation. They are particularly powerful for calculating ground state properties of quantum systems.
The "particle in a box" is a foundational concept in quantum mechanics that serves to illustrate key principles of quantum theory. It describes a simple model where a particle, such as an electron, is confined to a one-dimensional region of space, typically a box or a well with infinitely high potential walls. This model helps to understand how quantum systems behave under the influence of confinement.

Pinned article: Introduction to the OurBigBook Project

Welcome to the OurBigBook Project! Our goal is to create the perfect publishing platform for STEM subjects, and get university-level students to write the best free STEM tutorials ever.
Everyone is welcome to create an account and play with the site: ourbigbook.com/go/register. We belive that students themselves can write amazing tutorials, but teachers are welcome too. You can write about anything you want, it doesn't have to be STEM or even educational. Silly test content is very welcome and you won't be penalized in any way. Just keep it legal!
We have two killer features:
  1. topics: topics group articles by different users with the same title, e.g. here is the topic for the "Fundamental Theorem of Calculus" ourbigbook.com/go/topic/fundamental-theorem-of-calculus
    Articles of different users are sorted by upvote within each article page. This feature is a bit like:
    • a Wikipedia where each user can have their own version of each article
    • a Q&A website like Stack Overflow, where multiple people can give their views on a given topic, and the best ones are sorted by upvote. Except you don't need to wait for someone to ask first, and any topic goes, no matter how narrow or broad
    This feature makes it possible for readers to find better explanations of any topic created by other writers. And it allows writers to create an explanation in a place that readers might actually find it.
    Figure 1.
    Screenshot of the "Derivative" topic page
    . View it live at: ourbigbook.com/go/topic/derivative
  2. local editing: you can store all your personal knowledge base content locally in a plaintext markup format that can be edited locally and published either:
    This way you can be sure that even if OurBigBook.com were to go down one day (which we have no plans to do as it is quite cheap to host!), your content will still be perfectly readable as a static site.
    Figure 2.
    You can publish local OurBigBook lightweight markup files to either https://OurBigBook.com or as a static website
    .
    Figure 3.
    Visual Studio Code extension installation
    .
    Figure 4.
    Visual Studio Code extension tree navigation
    .
    Figure 5.
    Web editor
    . You can also edit articles on the Web editor without installing anything locally.
    Video 3.
    Edit locally and publish demo
    . Source. This shows editing OurBigBook Markup and publishing it using the Visual Studio Code extension.
    Video 4.
    OurBigBook Visual Studio Code extension editing and navigation demo
    . Source.
  3. https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook-media/master/feature/x/hilbert-space-arrow.png
  4. Infinitely deep tables of contents:
    Figure 6.
    Dynamic article tree with infinitely deep table of contents
    .
    Descendant pages can also show up as toplevel e.g.: ourbigbook.com/cirosantilli/chordate-subclade
All our software is open source and hosted at: github.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook
Further documentation can be found at: docs.ourbigbook.com
Feel free to reach our to us for any help or suggestions: docs.ourbigbook.com/#contact