[seqfan] Re: Sequences do not die

[Neil Sloane]

T.N. persists in disagreeing with me.

So let me explain: a sequence can die for several reasons,
one of which is that after a while, the recurrence for
a(n) may not define the next term.

When this comes as a surprise, one may describe this
event in dramatic language by saying that the sequence dies.
http://oeis.org/A046700 is a good example. It dies after 164 terms.

This is perfectly acceptable language.

A240817, a sequence I added the other day, after hearing
Doug Hofstadter talk about meta-Fibonacci sequences
dying, is another example. The lifetimes of sequences
in this family (see A134680, A240818, etc.) are extremely
erratic and interesting.

Neil


On Fri, Apr 18, 2014 at 3:58 PM, T. D. Noe <noe at sspectra.com> wrote:

> There is no need to extend this nomenclature to sequences.  Sequences do
> not die.
>
> Tony
>
> At 3:53 PM -0400 4/18/14, Neil Sloane wrote:
> >Tony Noe said:
> >"Rabbits die, but not sequences.  Sequences end.  Sequences become
> >undefined... Let's be mathematical."
> >
> >Me: I strongly disagree. The terms "birth" and "death" have
> >always been used in mathematics. (E.g. in game theory, number theory,
> etc.)
> >
> >I see that Tony's comment has already resulted in
> >some changes to OEIS entries. I will attempt to undo those changes.
> >
> >Neil Sloane
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >On Fri, Apr 18, 2014 at 3:05 PM, T. D. Noe <noe at sspectra.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Rabbits die, but not sequences.  Sequences end.  Sequences become
> >> undefined...
> >>
> >> Let's be mathematical.
> >>
> >> Best regards,
> >>
> >> Tony
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >>
> >> Seqfan Mailing list - http://list.seqfan.eu/
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >--
> >Dear Friends, I have now retired from AT&T. New coordinates:
> >
> >Neil J. A. Sloane, President, OEIS Foundation
> >11 South Adelaide Avenue, Highland Park, NJ 08904, USA.
> >Also Visiting Scientist, Math. Dept., Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ.
> >Phone: 732 828 6098; home page: http://NeilSloane.com
> >Email: njasloane at gmail.com
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >
> >Seqfan Mailing list - http://list.seqfan.eu/
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> Seqfan Mailing list - http://list.seqfan.eu/
>



-- 
Dear Friends, I have now retired from AT&T. New coordinates:

Neil J. A. Sloane, President, OEIS Foundation
11 South Adelaide Avenue, Highland Park, NJ 08904, USA.
Also Visiting Scientist, Math. Dept., Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ.
Phone: 732 828 6098; home page: http://NeilSloane.com
Email: njasloane at gmail.com