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A strict total order on a set is a strict partial order on in which any two distinct elements are comparable. That is, a strict total order is a binary relation < {\displaystyle <} on some set X {\displaystyle X} , which satisfies the following for all a , b {\displaystyle a,b} and c {\displaystyle c} in X {\displaystyle X} :
A law of trichotomy on some set X of numbers usually expresses that some tacitly given ordering relation on X is a trichotomous one. An example is the law "For arbitrary real numbers x and y, exactly one of x < y, y < x, or x = y applies"; some authors even fix y to be zero, [1] relying on the real number's additive linearly ordered group structure.
As an example, a term rewriting system for "multiplying out" mathematical expressions could contain a rule x*(y+z) → (x*y) + (x*z). In order to prove termination, a reduction ordering (>) must be found with respect to which the term x*(y+z) is greater than the term (x*y)+(x*z). This is not trivial, since the former term contains both fewer ...
If a relation is reflexive, irreflexive, symmetric, antisymmetric, asymmetric, transitive, total, trichotomous, a partial order, total order, strict weak order, total preorder (weak order), or an equivalence relation, then so too are its restrictions. However, the transitive closure of a restriction is a subset of the restriction of the ...
A strict weak order that is trichotomous is called a strict total order. [14] The total preorder which is the inverse of its complement is in this case a total order . For a strict weak order < {\displaystyle \,<\,} another associated reflexive relation is its reflexive closure , a (non-strict) partial order ≤ . {\displaystyle \,\leq .}
Similarly, a strict partial order that is connected is a strict total order. A relation is a total order if and only if it is both a partial order and strongly connected. A relation is a strict total order if, and only if, it is a strict partial order and just connected. A strict total order can never be strongly connected (except on an empty ...
For example, that every equivalence relation is symmetric, but not necessarily antisymmetric, is indicated by in the "Symmetric" column and in the "Antisymmetric" column, respectively. All definitions tacitly require the homogeneous relation R {\displaystyle R} be transitive : for all a , b , c , {\displaystyle a,b,c,} if a R b {\displaystyle ...
Order theory is a branch of mathematics that studies various kinds of objects (often binary relations) that capture the intuitive notion of ordering, providing a framework for saying when one thing is "less than" or "precedes" another. An alphabetical list of many notions of order theory can be found in the order theory glossary.