Is there a difference between these two notations, $f(x)$ and $f((x))$?

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I'm curious, are these two notations same or different? If they are different, can anybody point out difference?



That is, is $f(x)$ and $f((x))$ the same thing? Similarly, what about $f(x,y)$ and $f((x,y))$?







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  • Where have you encountered this notation?
    – Elements in Space
    Aug 20 at 11:58










  • @ElementsinSpace "I'm curious"... Idk if this is even a thing. But it wouldn't hurt to confirm it
    – William
    Aug 20 at 11:59















up vote
0
down vote

favorite












I'm curious, are these two notations same or different? If they are different, can anybody point out difference?



That is, is $f(x)$ and $f((x))$ the same thing? Similarly, what about $f(x,y)$ and $f((x,y))$?







share|cite|improve this question






















  • Where have you encountered this notation?
    – Elements in Space
    Aug 20 at 11:58










  • @ElementsinSpace "I'm curious"... Idk if this is even a thing. But it wouldn't hurt to confirm it
    – William
    Aug 20 at 11:59













up vote
0
down vote

favorite









up vote
0
down vote

favorite











I'm curious, are these two notations same or different? If they are different, can anybody point out difference?



That is, is $f(x)$ and $f((x))$ the same thing? Similarly, what about $f(x,y)$ and $f((x,y))$?







share|cite|improve this question














I'm curious, are these two notations same or different? If they are different, can anybody point out difference?



That is, is $f(x)$ and $f((x))$ the same thing? Similarly, what about $f(x,y)$ and $f((x,y))$?









share|cite|improve this question













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edited Aug 21 at 12:47









John Ma

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asked Aug 20 at 11:56









William

885314




885314











  • Where have you encountered this notation?
    – Elements in Space
    Aug 20 at 11:58










  • @ElementsinSpace "I'm curious"... Idk if this is even a thing. But it wouldn't hurt to confirm it
    – William
    Aug 20 at 11:59

















  • Where have you encountered this notation?
    – Elements in Space
    Aug 20 at 11:58










  • @ElementsinSpace "I'm curious"... Idk if this is even a thing. But it wouldn't hurt to confirm it
    – William
    Aug 20 at 11:59
















Where have you encountered this notation?
– Elements in Space
Aug 20 at 11:58




Where have you encountered this notation?
– Elements in Space
Aug 20 at 11:58












@ElementsinSpace "I'm curious"... Idk if this is even a thing. But it wouldn't hurt to confirm it
– William
Aug 20 at 11:59





@ElementsinSpace "I'm curious"... Idk if this is even a thing. But it wouldn't hurt to confirm it
– William
Aug 20 at 11:59











3 Answers
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3
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In some cases parentheses alone are notation for a nontrivial operation.



For example, in ring theory $(x)$ can mean the ideal generated by $x$, which is different from $x$ itself. So if a function takes subsets of the ring as arguments, applying it to a principal ideal would be written $f((x))$.



For another example, $(x,y)$ may -- other than an ordered pair -- be the notation for an open interval of the real line. If $f$ is a function that takes values that are subsets of $mathbb R$, the right way to apply it to the open unit interval would be $f((0,1))$.



In other cases it might simply be a typo.



Note that even though programming languages generally allow you to write as many redundant parentheses as you want, this is avoided in mathematics. Parentheses that serve a reasonable purpose of disambiguating expressions are fair game, but an additional set of parentheses just for the heck of it will leave the reader confused whether something like the above examples is in place.






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    up vote
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    I have not seen that notation and it seems it could be more interpretable in the world of programming.



    Then, they are not the same. $f(x,y)$ is a function of $2$ variables and $f((x,y))$ is a function of $1$ variable that is a $2$-dimensional vector.
    I suppose the same holds for the first example, so that $(x)$ is some kind of a natotion for $1$-dimensional vector.






    share|cite|improve this answer



























      up vote
      1
      down vote













      $f(x)$ usually refers to a function of one single variable. For example $$f(x)=x^2$$ while in some scenarios $f((x))$ refers to a function of a vector or any other multi-dimension variable. In that case we have $(x)=(x_1,x_2,cdots ,x_n)$ where $x_i$s are all single variables. For example $$f((x))=x_1^2+cdots +x_n^2$$ generally such a notation relies on the question clarification since there are various cases to distinguish these notations.






      share|cite|improve this answer




















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        3 Answers
        3






        active

        oldest

        votes








        3 Answers
        3






        active

        oldest

        votes









        active

        oldest

        votes






        active

        oldest

        votes








        up vote
        3
        down vote













        In some cases parentheses alone are notation for a nontrivial operation.



        For example, in ring theory $(x)$ can mean the ideal generated by $x$, which is different from $x$ itself. So if a function takes subsets of the ring as arguments, applying it to a principal ideal would be written $f((x))$.



        For another example, $(x,y)$ may -- other than an ordered pair -- be the notation for an open interval of the real line. If $f$ is a function that takes values that are subsets of $mathbb R$, the right way to apply it to the open unit interval would be $f((0,1))$.



        In other cases it might simply be a typo.



        Note that even though programming languages generally allow you to write as many redundant parentheses as you want, this is avoided in mathematics. Parentheses that serve a reasonable purpose of disambiguating expressions are fair game, but an additional set of parentheses just for the heck of it will leave the reader confused whether something like the above examples is in place.






        share|cite|improve this answer
























          up vote
          3
          down vote













          In some cases parentheses alone are notation for a nontrivial operation.



          For example, in ring theory $(x)$ can mean the ideal generated by $x$, which is different from $x$ itself. So if a function takes subsets of the ring as arguments, applying it to a principal ideal would be written $f((x))$.



          For another example, $(x,y)$ may -- other than an ordered pair -- be the notation for an open interval of the real line. If $f$ is a function that takes values that are subsets of $mathbb R$, the right way to apply it to the open unit interval would be $f((0,1))$.



          In other cases it might simply be a typo.



          Note that even though programming languages generally allow you to write as many redundant parentheses as you want, this is avoided in mathematics. Parentheses that serve a reasonable purpose of disambiguating expressions are fair game, but an additional set of parentheses just for the heck of it will leave the reader confused whether something like the above examples is in place.






          share|cite|improve this answer






















            up vote
            3
            down vote










            up vote
            3
            down vote









            In some cases parentheses alone are notation for a nontrivial operation.



            For example, in ring theory $(x)$ can mean the ideal generated by $x$, which is different from $x$ itself. So if a function takes subsets of the ring as arguments, applying it to a principal ideal would be written $f((x))$.



            For another example, $(x,y)$ may -- other than an ordered pair -- be the notation for an open interval of the real line. If $f$ is a function that takes values that are subsets of $mathbb R$, the right way to apply it to the open unit interval would be $f((0,1))$.



            In other cases it might simply be a typo.



            Note that even though programming languages generally allow you to write as many redundant parentheses as you want, this is avoided in mathematics. Parentheses that serve a reasonable purpose of disambiguating expressions are fair game, but an additional set of parentheses just for the heck of it will leave the reader confused whether something like the above examples is in place.






            share|cite|improve this answer












            In some cases parentheses alone are notation for a nontrivial operation.



            For example, in ring theory $(x)$ can mean the ideal generated by $x$, which is different from $x$ itself. So if a function takes subsets of the ring as arguments, applying it to a principal ideal would be written $f((x))$.



            For another example, $(x,y)$ may -- other than an ordered pair -- be the notation for an open interval of the real line. If $f$ is a function that takes values that are subsets of $mathbb R$, the right way to apply it to the open unit interval would be $f((0,1))$.



            In other cases it might simply be a typo.



            Note that even though programming languages generally allow you to write as many redundant parentheses as you want, this is avoided in mathematics. Parentheses that serve a reasonable purpose of disambiguating expressions are fair game, but an additional set of parentheses just for the heck of it will leave the reader confused whether something like the above examples is in place.







            share|cite|improve this answer












            share|cite|improve this answer



            share|cite|improve this answer










            answered Aug 20 at 12:11









            Henning Makholm

            229k16295525




            229k16295525




















                up vote
                1
                down vote













                I have not seen that notation and it seems it could be more interpretable in the world of programming.



                Then, they are not the same. $f(x,y)$ is a function of $2$ variables and $f((x,y))$ is a function of $1$ variable that is a $2$-dimensional vector.
                I suppose the same holds for the first example, so that $(x)$ is some kind of a natotion for $1$-dimensional vector.






                share|cite|improve this answer
























                  up vote
                  1
                  down vote













                  I have not seen that notation and it seems it could be more interpretable in the world of programming.



                  Then, they are not the same. $f(x,y)$ is a function of $2$ variables and $f((x,y))$ is a function of $1$ variable that is a $2$-dimensional vector.
                  I suppose the same holds for the first example, so that $(x)$ is some kind of a natotion for $1$-dimensional vector.






                  share|cite|improve this answer






















                    up vote
                    1
                    down vote










                    up vote
                    1
                    down vote









                    I have not seen that notation and it seems it could be more interpretable in the world of programming.



                    Then, they are not the same. $f(x,y)$ is a function of $2$ variables and $f((x,y))$ is a function of $1$ variable that is a $2$-dimensional vector.
                    I suppose the same holds for the first example, so that $(x)$ is some kind of a natotion for $1$-dimensional vector.






                    share|cite|improve this answer












                    I have not seen that notation and it seems it could be more interpretable in the world of programming.



                    Then, they are not the same. $f(x,y)$ is a function of $2$ variables and $f((x,y))$ is a function of $1$ variable that is a $2$-dimensional vector.
                    I suppose the same holds for the first example, so that $(x)$ is some kind of a natotion for $1$-dimensional vector.







                    share|cite|improve this answer












                    share|cite|improve this answer



                    share|cite|improve this answer










                    answered Aug 20 at 12:00









                    Sandro Lovnički

                    1414




                    1414




















                        up vote
                        1
                        down vote













                        $f(x)$ usually refers to a function of one single variable. For example $$f(x)=x^2$$ while in some scenarios $f((x))$ refers to a function of a vector or any other multi-dimension variable. In that case we have $(x)=(x_1,x_2,cdots ,x_n)$ where $x_i$s are all single variables. For example $$f((x))=x_1^2+cdots +x_n^2$$ generally such a notation relies on the question clarification since there are various cases to distinguish these notations.






                        share|cite|improve this answer
























                          up vote
                          1
                          down vote













                          $f(x)$ usually refers to a function of one single variable. For example $$f(x)=x^2$$ while in some scenarios $f((x))$ refers to a function of a vector or any other multi-dimension variable. In that case we have $(x)=(x_1,x_2,cdots ,x_n)$ where $x_i$s are all single variables. For example $$f((x))=x_1^2+cdots +x_n^2$$ generally such a notation relies on the question clarification since there are various cases to distinguish these notations.






                          share|cite|improve this answer






















                            up vote
                            1
                            down vote










                            up vote
                            1
                            down vote









                            $f(x)$ usually refers to a function of one single variable. For example $$f(x)=x^2$$ while in some scenarios $f((x))$ refers to a function of a vector or any other multi-dimension variable. In that case we have $(x)=(x_1,x_2,cdots ,x_n)$ where $x_i$s are all single variables. For example $$f((x))=x_1^2+cdots +x_n^2$$ generally such a notation relies on the question clarification since there are various cases to distinguish these notations.






                            share|cite|improve this answer












                            $f(x)$ usually refers to a function of one single variable. For example $$f(x)=x^2$$ while in some scenarios $f((x))$ refers to a function of a vector or any other multi-dimension variable. In that case we have $(x)=(x_1,x_2,cdots ,x_n)$ where $x_i$s are all single variables. For example $$f((x))=x_1^2+cdots +x_n^2$$ generally such a notation relies on the question clarification since there are various cases to distinguish these notations.







                            share|cite|improve this answer












                            share|cite|improve this answer



                            share|cite|improve this answer










                            answered Aug 20 at 12:02









                            Mostafa Ayaz

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