Finitary relationIn mathematics, a finitary relation over sets X1, ..., Xn is a subset of the Cartesian product X1 × ⋯ × Xn; that is, it is a set of n-tuples (x1, ..., xn) consisting of elements xi in Xi. Typically, the relation describes a possible connection between the elements of an n-tuple. For example, the relation "x is divisible by y and z" consists of the set of 3-tuples such that when substituted to x, y and z, respectively, make the sentence true. The non-negative integer n giving the number of "places" in the relation is called the arity, adicity or degree of the relation.
Binary relationIn mathematics, a binary relation associates elements of one set, called the domain, with elements of another set, called the codomain. A binary relation over sets X and Y is a new set of ordered pairs (x, y) consisting of elements x in X and y in Y. It is a generalization of the more widely understood idea of a unary function. It encodes the common concept of relation: an element x is related to an element y, if and only if the pair (x, y) belongs to the set of ordered pairs that defines the binary relation.
Composition of relationsIn the mathematics of binary relations, the composition of relations is the forming of a new binary relation R; S from two given binary relations R and S. In the calculus of relations, the composition of relations is called relative multiplication, and its result is called a relative product. Function composition is the special case of composition of relations where all relations involved are functions. The word uncle indicates a compound relation: for a person to be an uncle, he must be the brother of a parent.
Category of relationsIn mathematics, the Rel has the class of sets as and binary relations as . A morphism (or arrow) R : A → B in this category is a relation between the sets A and B, so R ⊆ A × B. The composition of two relations R: A → B and S: B → C is given by (a, c) ∈ S o R ⇔ for some b ∈ B, (a, b) ∈ R and (b, c) ∈ S. Rel has also been called the "category of correspondences of sets". The category Rel has the Set as a (wide) , where the arrow f : X → Y in Set corresponds to the relation F ⊆ X × Y defined by (x, y) ∈ F ⇔ f(x) = y.
Homogeneous relationIn mathematics, a homogeneous relation (also called endorelation) on a set X is a binary relation between X and itself, i.e. it is a subset of the Cartesian product X × X. This is commonly phrased as "a relation on X" or "a (binary) relation over X". An example of a homogeneous relation is the relation of kinship, where the relation is between people. Common types of endorelations include orders, graphs, and equivalences. Specialized studies of order theory and graph theory have developed understanding of endorelations.
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