[seqfan] Re: Sequences do not die

T. D. Noe noe at sspectra.com
Sat Apr 19 00:32:49 CEST 2014


There are about 40 languages listed on https://oeis.org/

I think it would be much clearer if we used "ends", "becomes undefined", or
something that is more mathematical and translates clearly.  OEIS editors
are always editing comments to make them more clear.  I urge someone whose
mother language is not English to comment.  My first language was Dutch.

Let's be accurate, not colorful.

Best regards,

Tony


At 5:16 PM -0400 4/18/14, Neil Sloane wrote:
>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
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> _______________________________________________
>> >>
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>> >>
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >--
>> >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/
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>
>
>
>--
>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/




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