group theory

noun

: a branch of mathematics concerned with finding all mathematical groups and determining their properties

Examples of group theory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And the evolution of the cube — from a three-by-three-by-three shape to larger four-by-four-by-four and five-by-five-by-five ones — offers different complicated mathematical principles of group theory. Hope Reese, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Sep. 2020 And the evolution of the cube—from a three-by-three-by-three shape to larger four-by-four-by-four and five-by-five-by-five ones—offers different complicated mathematical principles of group theory. Hope Reese/undark, Popular Science, 25 Sep. 2020 Many astounding features of the faro shuffle can be expressed and generalized by a class of mathematics known as group theory. Guest Blogger, Discover Magazine, 16 July 2012 Roughly speaking, group theory is the mathematical language of symmetry. Guest Blogger, Discover Magazine, 16 July 2012 These powerful mathematical results established the relationship between the symmetries of group theory and the all-important conservation laws in physics---such as the conservation of energy, momentum, and electric charge. Amir Aczel, Discover Magazine, 30 July 2012 This is part of a field of abstract algebra called group theory, which studies symmetry. Eugenia Cheng, WSJ, 4 Aug. 2022 The diagrams that bell-ringers use to indicate a scheme of changes strongly resemble diagrams in group theory. Eugenia Cheng, WSJ, 4 Aug. 2022 But almost exactly a hundred years before the Rubik's cube, the same thing happened with another toy that was an interesting group theory problem. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 6 Apr. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'group theory.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of group theory was in 1888

Dictionary Entries Near group theory

Cite this Entry

“Group theory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/group%20theory. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.

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