[seqfan] Re: Sequences do not die

[W. Edwin Clark]

What if it is proved to be finite, but the number of terms is  unknown?


On Fri, Apr 18, 2014 at 9:57 PM, Charles Greathouse <
charles.greathouse at case.edu> wrote:

> I've always liked the idea of writing fini(60) for "finite sequence with 60
> terms". Perhaps one day we will have this capability.
>
> Charles Greathouse
> Analyst/Programmer
> Case Western Reserve University
>
>
> On Fri, Apr 18, 2014 at 6:32 PM, T. D. Noe <noe at sspectra.com> wrote:
>
> > 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
> > >> >>
> > >> >>
> > >> >> _______________________________________________
> > >> >>
> > >> >> 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
> > >> >
> > >> >_______________________________________________
> > >> >
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> > >>
> > >>
> > >> _______________________________________________
> > >>
> > >> 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
> > >
> > >_______________________________________________
> > >
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> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> > Seqfan Mailing list - http://list.seqfan.eu/
> >
>
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