nLab characteristic function

Redirected from "indicator function".
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Definition

Of a subset

The characteristic function of a subset UU of some set XX is a function from XX to the set TVTV of truth values (which classically is TV={,}TV = \{\bot,\top\}) that takes aa in XX to the truth value of the statement that aUa \in U. That is,

χ U(a)aU, \chi_U(a) \;\Leftrightarrow\; a \in U ,

where χ U\chi_U (also often 1 U1_U) is the characteristic function of UU.

Of a subobject

More generally, the characteristic morphism of a subobject UU of some objects XX in a category with a subobject classifier Ω\Omega is the morphism from XX to Ω\Omega that classifies UU; we have that

U X χ U 1 Ω \array { U & \hookrightarrow & X \\ \downarrow & & \downarrow & \chi_U \\ 1 & \underset{\top}\to & \Omega }

is a pullback square.

See also

Last revised on July 19, 2014 at 07:07:31. See the history of this page for a list of all contributions to it.