Steven D'Aprano wrote: > Just because I've never come across it doesn't mean it exists, so > I'd be grateful for any reference to a technical definition, or > even references to any mathematician using intersect as a verb in a > vigorous, non-hand-waving way. Here's a link to get you started:
Here ( http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/math/pdf/0702/0702029v1.pdf )is a Russian math text (in English) which says: "If A \cap B 6 = \emptyset, then we say that the sets A and B do intersect. Otherwise, if A \cap B = \emptyset, then we say that these sets do not intersect." Here ( http://www.tcs.ifi.lmu.de/~fischerf/publications/bfh_tark07.pdf ) is a math paper which says: "Sets that are disjoint in the diagram may have an empty intersection, i.e., there exist instances where these sets do not intersect." A simple Google search will also turn up numerous uses of the phrase "non-intersecting sets", which would seem to be parallel (i.e., people are not bending over backwards to say "disjoint sets" or "sets with empty intersection"). -- --OKB (not okblacke) Brendan Barnwell "Do not follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path, and leave a trail." --author unknown -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list