[seqfan] Re: Sequences do not die

[Charles Greathouse]

Then you could write fini, just like now.

Charles Greathouse
Analyst/Programmer
Case Western Reserve University


On Sat, Apr 19, 2014 at 12:11 AM, W. Edwin Clark <wclark at mail.usf.edu>wrote:

> 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
> > > >> >
> > > >> >_______________________________________________
> > > >> >
> > > >> >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
> > > >
> > > >_______________________________________________
> > > >
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> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > >
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> > >
> >
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> >
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> >
>
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