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/sci/ - Science & Math

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5600705 No.5600705 [Reply] [Original]

Why is it that higher fields of math almost all start being called "-theory"

e.g.
group theory
group representation theory
number theory
galois theory
graph theory
Ideal theory
etc.


Imagine if schools called trigonometry "Trigonometry theory" or "trigonometric theory" , or calculus "integration theory" and "differentiation theory".
It would be stupid and unnecessary, right?

Just say what it is. Adding "-theory" at the end is totally redundant and moronic.

>> No.5600708

>>5600705

because it is just a geuss?

>> No.5600712

I'd assume it's because they are not fundamental fields of mathematics and require more mathematical proofs than elementary problem solving.

>> No.5600723

>>5600712
all results in mathematics are found by proofs.
What are you talking about?

>> No.5600752
File: 1.02 MB, 520x375, upset.gif [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
5600752

>>5600705
Wow that picture is rustling when you realize this is what the common person sees when someone says math is beautiful.

>> No.5600760

>>5600708
Then it would have been called a hypothesis.

>> No.5600773

group 401
graph 402
ideal 403
number 404
yeh that sounds normal

>> No.5600778

Because that's exactly what these fields are. Large sets of axioms that describe behaviors.

>> No.5600792

group
number
galois
graph
ideal


What? Those words don't refer to very specific areas of math by themselves like algebra, geometry, trig, calc, etc do

>> No.5600804

>>5600723
Much of the simple math we take for granted was proved well after the fact, as opposed to most of these fields which developed simultaneously with their proofs. That could be why

>> No.5601098

>higher fields of math
>freshman/sophomore CS major tier
pick one faggot

>> No.5601134

>>5601098
> I'm so advanced I am consulted for BBT jokes

>> No.5601149

>>5600705
http://ratnu.tripod.com/mathbranches.html
Out of 97 "top-level subject areas" of mathematics, exactly 16 contain the word "theory".
I wouldn't call that "almost all".

>> No.5601169

>>5600705
Because your high school mathematics have no theory, just computational rules.

>> No.5601286

Are you suggesting "number theory" should be renamed to "number"?

> I have a number class, gotta go. See you later!

>> No.5601298

Differential geometry theory
Algebraic geometry theory
Algebraic topology theory
Integrable systems theory
Combinatorics theory
Functional analysis theory
Symplectic geometry theory
Homological algebra theory

I think I see what you mean.

>> No.5601316

Well, there is no one-word way to describe these fields precisely, so they use two, no reason to be mad..

>> No.5601365

>>5600705
what does that picture mean anyways?

>> No.5601494

>>5601286
Groups
numbers
sets
graphs
ideals
combinatorics
probability
analysis
trigonometry
calculus
algebra
geometry
vectors
etc.

There is absolutely no reason to call the study of a field of mathematics, which is obviously going to be concerned with theorems rather than whatever >>5600712, >>5600804 and >>5601169 think maths is, a "-theory"

It's totally redundant.

When you're studying particular type of ocncept or structure in mathematics just say what it is that's being studied:
"I'm studying vectors"
"I'm studying vector theory"

which one sounds like less of a try-hard moron adding on unnecessary words to make himself sound smarter?

>> No.5601572

>>5601494
Precision of language, I guess that'd be important in a field where the only thing you do is communicating precise and abstract ideas.
X theory is the field that studies the properties of structures called X. "Xs" is not a synonym for "X theory". The word "theory" can be formalized to a certain extent.
Also see >>5601298

>> No.5601598

>>5601494
BONUS POST:

"I'm studying vectors" sounds kinda dumb

>> No.5601624

>>5601598
>"I'm studying vectors" sounds kinda dumb

The normal reaction to that would be "vectors of what?"

>> No.5601627

>>5601624
>The intelligent reaction to that would be "vectors of what?"

ftfy

>> No.5601641

>>5601624
>>5601627
Bah, you're no fun.

>> No.5601643

>>5601365
It's a parody of the way people who don't understand maths view the people who say "maths is beautiful". It shows the character something trivial, specific and barely even classifiable as maths by anyone who knows the first thing about maths, (joining dots on a linear line function), which is the average joe's perception of what maths is.

>> No.5601657

>>5600705
Trigonometry basically means
Trigon(Triangle)Study

Theory in these cases pretty much means "method of study" anyway

So fields of study are called Noun-Suffix-"thing-studying" in both cases.

>> No.5601669

>>5601657
>Trigon(Triangle)Study
u wot m8

>> No.5601676

>>5600705

I teared up OP, all those mathematical feels. I remember my first linear equation, she was a real beauty.

>> No.5601701

>>5601669
Trigon-Old word for Triangle
-Metry-Measuring, counting, "study"
Lurn2etymology

>> No.5601715

>>5601701
>-Metry-Measuring, counting, "study"
u wot m8
Trigonometry is the measure of "three angles". Trigonology is the study of "three angles".

>> No.5601722

>>5600705
The <span class="math">\underline { MATHEMATICAL } [/spoiler] definition of theory is "all Mathematical statements true of ~~~~". Therefore, anything worth saying about groups fall under the theory of groups or more concisely group theory.

Take a Mathematical Logic and Metamathematics/Foundations of Mathematics class, you'll learn a lot. (Philosophy, CS, or any other bullshit logic classes don't count)

>> No.5601725

>>5601624
>>5601627
not really. If osmoen says they're studying vectors one would assume they're studying the mathematical objects called vectors in general.
This would generally fall under linear algebra.

>> No.5601750

>>5601725
No, one would figure that there's something wrong with this guy. Who studies individual vectors? A madman, that's who.

>> No.5602726

>>5601715
"three angle measuring" then.
My point is that, were it invented today, it would called "triangle theory", and if group theory were invented by Pythagoras it probably would have been called Groupmetry, but they both follow the form "Subject- study/measure/ideas etc."