Wkbj79 writes:
> Why should we use "order" for groups and
> fields but "cardinality" for rings?
Part of the reason is probably that "order" has another meaning for rings (see the Wikipedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_(ring_theory) - although I don't really know anything about the subject, so I can't say how accurate that article is).
In general, the word "order" is just too overloaded, and it would be better if we said "cardinality" when that is what we mean. (But I still say "order" for finite groups, because that's what everyone else says...) |
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