Partial order in the context of "Reflexive relation"

In mathematics, a binary relation R on a set X is transitive if, for all elements a, b, c in X, whenever R relates a to b and b to c, then R also relates a to c.

Every partial order and every equivalence relation is transitive. For example, less than and equality among real numbers are both transitive: If a < b and b < c then a < c; and if x = y and y = z then x = z.

In mathematics, especially order theory, the covering relation of a partially ordered set is the binary relation which holds between comparable elements that are immediate neighbours. The covering relation is commonly used to graphically express the partial order by means of the Hasse diagram.

Connectedness features prominently in the definition of total orders: a total (or linear) order is a partial order in which any two elements are comparable; that is, the order relation is connected. Similarly, a strict partial order that is connected is a strict total order.A relation is a total order if and only if it is both a partial order and strongly connected. A relation is a strict total order if, and only if, it is a strict partial order and just connected. A strict total order can never be strongly connected (except on an empty domain).

In mathematics, a total order or linear order is a partial order in which any two elements are comparable. That is, a total order is a binary relation ${\displaystyle \leq }$ on some set ${\displaystyle X}$, which satisfies the following for all ${\displaystyle a,b}$ and ${\displaystyle c}$ in ${\displaystyle X}$:

1. ${\displaystyle a\leq a}$ (reflexive).
2. If ${\displaystyle a\leq b}$ and ${\displaystyle b\leq c}$ then ${\displaystyle a\leq c}$ (transitive).
3. If ${\displaystyle a\leq b}$ and ${\displaystyle b\leq a}$ then ${\displaystyle a=b}$ (antisymmetric).
4. ${\displaystyle a\leq b}$ or ${\displaystyle b\leq a}$ (strongly connected, formerly called totality).

Requirements 1. to 3. just make up the definition of a partial order.Reflexivity (1.) already follows from strong connectedness (4.), but is required explicitly by many authors nevertheless, to indicate the kinship to partial orders.Total orders are sometimes also called simple, connex, or full orders.

In mathematics, a semigroup is a nonempty set together with an associative binary operation. A special class of semigroups is a class of semigroups satisfying additional properties or conditions. Thus the class of commutative semigroups consists of all those semigroups in which the binary operation satisfies the commutativity property that ab = ba for all elements a and b in the semigroup.The class of finite semigroups consists of those semigroups for which the underlying set has finite cardinality. Members of the class of Brandt semigroups are required to satisfy not just one condition but a set of additional properties. A large collection of special classes of semigroups have been defined though not all of them have been studied equally intensively.

In the algebraic theory of semigroups, in constructing special classes, attention is focused only on those properties, restrictions and conditions which can be expressed in terms of the binary operations in the semigroups and occasionally on the cardinality and similar properties of subsets of the underlying set. The underlying sets are not assumed to carry any other mathematical structures like order or topology.