Formal methods organizations refer to groups, institutions, or initiatives that focus on the development and application of formal methods in software engineering, system design, and related fields. Formal methods are mathematically-based techniques used to specify, develop, and verify systems and software, ensuring that they behave as intended and meet specific requirements. These methods are particularly useful in domains where safety, security, and reliability are critical, such as aerospace, automotive, telecommunications, and healthcare.
The trace monoid is a mathematical structure that arises in the study of non-conventional systems, especially in the context of concurrency and process algebra. It is primarily used to model and reason about the behaviors of concurrent systems where the order of execution of some events (or actions) does not matter. ### Basic Definition The trace monoid consists of: - A set of **traces** (sequences of actions or events) that represent the possible sequences of operations.
Trace theory is a concept primarily associated with linguistics and cognitive science, particularly in the study of syntax and language processing. It suggests that when a word or phrase is moved within a sentence (e.g., in questions or relative clauses), a "trace" is left behind to indicate the original position of that word or phrase. This theoretical construct helps to account for various grammatical phenomena, including agreement and interpretation, without requiring the original elements to be explicitly stated in their initial positions.
Formal fallacies are errors in logical reasoning that occur due to a flaw in the structure or form of an argument, rather than the content. These fallacies arise when the argument violates the principles of logical validity, meaning that even if the premises are true, the conclusion does not necessarily follow from them. Formal fallacies can often be identified by examining the argument's form or structure, regardless of the actual truth of the premises.
Lustre is a declarative programming language designed specifically for programming reactive systems, particularly in the context of embedded systems and real-time applications. It is well-suited for applications that require high reliability, such as control systems in avionics, automotive systems, and industrial automation.
The QED Manifesto refers to a document created by the QED (Quality Education for All) movement, which advocates for high standards in educational practices. The manifesto outlines the essential principles and goals of the movement, emphasizing the importance of providing equitable, inclusive, and high-quality education to all individuals, regardless of their background. It typically addresses various aspects of education, including teaching methodologies, curriculum design, accessibility, and the role of technology in enhancing learning experiences.
Process validation is a systematic approach used primarily in the manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries to ensure that a specific process consistently produces a product that meets its predetermined specifications and quality attributes. The goal of process validation is to demonstrate that the processes are capable of consistently delivering products that are safe, effective, and of high quality.
The B-Method is a formal method used in software engineering for the specification, development, and verification of software systems. It is based on mathematical logic, particularly set theory and first-order logic, and emphasizes rigorous proofs of correctness. Here are some key aspects of the B-Method: 1. **Formal Specification**: The B-Method allows developers to specify the desired properties and behaviors of software systems formally.
SLAM stands for Simultaneous Localization and Mapping. It is a computational problem that involves creating a map of an unknown environment while simultaneously keeping track of the location of a device (such as a robot or a vehicle) within that environment. SLAM is widely used in robotics, autonomous vehicles, augmented reality, and other applications where navigation in an unfamiliar area is required.
Syntactic methods refer to approaches and techniques used in the analysis, processing, and generation of language based on its structure and grammatical rules. They focus on the formal aspects of languages, whether natural languages (like English, Spanish, etc.) or programming languages, emphasizing how words and symbols are arranged to form valid phrases, sentences, or expressions.
Operational semantics is a formal method in computer science used to define the meaning of programming languages and systems through the concept of state transitions. It describes how the execution of a program proceeds step by step, providing a precise description of how constructs in a language relate to their behavior during execution. The main ideas behind operational semantics include: 1. **States and Transitions**: It models the execution of a program as a sequence of states.
Refinement calculus is a formal method used in computer science for the specification and development of software systems. It is based on the principles of mathematics and provides a framework for the step-by-step refinement of abstract specifications into executable code. Here are some key features of refinement calculus: 1. **Abstract Specifications**: Refinement calculus begins with a high-level specification of what a program is supposed to do.
A rigorous approach to industrial software engineering involves applying disciplined, systematic, and methodical practices throughout the software development lifecycle. This approach aims to enhance the quality, reliability, and maintainability of software products while minimizing risks and costs. Key components of a rigorous approach to industrial software engineering include: 1. **Formal Methods**: Utilizing mathematical techniques and models to specify, develop, and verify software systems. Formal methods help in ensuring that systems meet their specifications precisely.
In computer science, semantics refers to the meaning of programs and programming languages. It is concerned with understanding what different constructs in a programming language do and how they behave when executed. Semantics defines how the elements of a programming language relate to what they represent, allowing for reasoning about the behavior and effects of programs.
The term "decimal" typically refers to a base-10 numbering system, which is the standard system for representing numbers that most people use every day. In a decimal system, each position in a number represents a power of 10, and digits can range from 0 to 9.
A Ford circle is a geometric construct that is used in number theory to visually represent the fractions between 0 and 1. Specifically, for each positive fraction \( \frac{p}{q} \) (where \( p \) and \( q \) are coprime integers), the corresponding Ford circle is centered at \( \frac{p}{q} \) with a radius of \( \frac{1}{2q^2} \).
An irreducible fraction, also known as a simplified or reduced fraction, is a fraction in which the numerator and denominator are coprime, meaning they have no common factors other than 1. In simpler terms, an irreducible fraction cannot be simplified any further.
The lowest common denominator (LCD) is the smallest multiple that two or more fractions share in their denominators. Finding the LCD is particularly useful when you're trying to add, subtract, or compare fractions, as it allows you to express all fractions with a common denominator. To determine the LCD: 1. **List the multiples:** Find multiples of each denominator. 2. **Identify the least common multiple (LCM):** Look for the smallest multiple that appears in each list.
Corrosion fatigue is a failure mechanism that occurs when a material, typically a metal, experiences the combined effects of cyclic stress and a corrosive environment. This phenomenon can significantly reduce the lifespan of materials and components, as the presence of a corrosive medium accelerates the initiation and propagation of cracks under repeated loading conditions.

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