Principal valueIn mathematics, specifically complex analysis, the principal values of a multivalued function are the values along one chosen branch of that function, so that it is single-valued. A simple case arises in taking the square root of a positive real number. For example, 4 has two square roots: 2 and −2; of these the positive root, 2, is considered the principal root and is denoted as Consider the complex logarithm function log z. It is defined as the complex number w such that Now, for example, say we wish to find log i.
Branch pointIn the mathematical field of complex analysis, a branch point of a multi-valued function (usually referred to as a "multifunction" in the context of complex analysis) is a point such that if the function is n-valued (has n values) at that point, all of its neighborhoods contain a point that has more than n values. Multi-valued functions are rigorously studied using Riemann surfaces, and the formal definition of branch points employs this concept.
Principal branchIn mathematics, a principal branch is a function which selects one branch ("slice") of a multi-valued function. Most often, this applies to functions defined on the complex plane. Principal branches are used in the definition of many inverse trigonometric functions, such as the selection either to define that or that A more familiar principal branch function, limited to real numbers, is that of a positive real number raised to the power of 1/2. For example, take the relation y = x1/2, where x is any positive real number.
Common logarithmIn mathematics, the common logarithm is the logarithm with base 10. It is also known as the decadic logarithm and as the decimal logarithm, named after its base, or Briggsian logarithm, after Henry Briggs, an English mathematician who pioneered its use, as well as standard logarithm. Historically, it was known as logarithmus decimalis or logarithmus decadis. It is indicated by log(x), log10 (x), or sometimes Log(x) with a capital L (however, this notation is ambiguous, since it can also mean the complex natural logarithmic multi-valued function).
Inclusion mapIn mathematics, if is a subset of then the inclusion map (also inclusion function, insertion, or canonical injection) is the function that sends each element of to treated as an element of A "hooked arrow" () is sometimes used in place of the function arrow above to denote an inclusion map; thus: (However, some authors use this hooked arrow for any embedding.) This and other analogous injective functions from substructures are sometimes called natural injections.
Fiber (mathematics)In mathematics, the term fiber (US English) or fibre (British English) can have two meanings, depending on the context: In naive set theory, the fiber of the element in the set under a map is the of the singleton under In algebraic geometry, the notion of a fiber of a morphism of schemes must be defined more carefully because, in general, not every is closed. Let be a function between sets. The fiber of an element (or fiber over ) under the map is the set that is, the set of elements that get mapped to by the function.
