The word "arity" (/ˈærɪti/) is spelled with the letters a-r-i-t-y, and is pronounced with the stress on the second syllable. It is used in mathematics and computer science to refer to the number of arguments or operands that a function or operator takes. The word derives from the Latin "aris" meaning "of an altar" or "altar piece," with the suffix "-ity" indicating a state or quality, hence "the quality or state of having a certain number of arguments."
Arity is a term used in mathematics and computer science to describe the number of arguments or operands that a function or operation takes. It refers to the number of inputs or parameters that are required for a particular mathematical function or operation to be performed.
In computer programming, the arity of a function is an important characteristic that determines how many parameters a function can accept. For example, a binary function has an arity of two, meaning it requires two arguments to be passed in order to produce a result. Similarly, a ternary function has an arity of three, and so on.
The concept of arity is particularly relevant in programming languages that support higher-order functions or variable-arity functions. A higher-order function is one that can take other functions as arguments or return functions as results. In such cases, the arity of the higher-order function is often flexible, meaning it can vary depending on the functions it operates on.
The term "arity" is derived from the Latin word "aris," meaning "number." It was coined by the mathematician Moses Schönfinkel in the early 20th century, and it has since become a fundamental concept in the field of mathematics and computer science, enabling the precise description and analysis of functions and operations in various domains.
The word "arity" is derived from the Latin word "aritās", which means "number", "quantity", or "size". This Latin term is a variation of the word "āritās", which specifically refers to "property" or "quality". Over time, "arity" evolved in the English language as a technical term in computer science and mathematics to denote the number of arguments or parameters that a function or operation requires.