Vocabulary of Combinatorial Analysis

Abstract

In this chapter we define the language we will use and we introduce those elementary concepts which will be referred to throughout the book. As much as possible, the chosen notations will not be new; we will use only those that actually occur in publications. We will not be afraid to use two different symbols for the same thing, as one may be preferable to the other, depending on circumstances. Thus, for example, Ā and ∁ A both denote the complement of A, A ∩ B and AB stand for the intersection of A and B, etc. For the rest, it seems desirable to avoid taking positions and to obtain the flexibility which is necessary to be able to read different authors.