Hey, math nerds, I really want to know, why is Wikipedia saying that \(\wp(X)\) is a notation for the power set? First time I see the Weierstrass pe symbol used for something other than an elliptic curve, and I don't like it, my boy Weierstrass didn't write no power sets like that.
@JordiGH I've seen Ps with various degrees of swirliness denote powerset, but never the weierstrauss p.
From wikipedia "Talk:Power_set":
"℘ is really only used for the power set by people who don't know how to get a script looking P in LaTeX any other way."
@JordiGH That quote is from 2009, and no citation has been seen since.
@j I have half a mind to just go into Wikipedia and get rid of that silly notation until someone comes along with a citation.
@JordiGH I found two uses on arxiv.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2002.06253
https://arxiv.org/abs/1002.4334
@j Dammit!
Are they published?
@JordiGH Doesn't look like it at least. I think that still validates the wikipedia user who said "℘ is really only used for the power set by people who don't know how to get a script looking P in LaTeX any other way."
@j I feel like a reasonable editor should catch that mistake.
@JordiGH I've seen some people \wp as a powerset symbol in LaTeX (but it's clear from context they don't know the difference with \mathcal{P})
@Vierkantor Hm, really? The Wikipedia talk page agrees that people are doing it because they don't know better. Like using <> for inner products instead of \langle and \rangle?
@JordiGH I tried to figure out where, but it was probably on like an exercise sheet for a Bachelor's course or something like that. Couldn't find any \wp s in the lecture note PDFs I have saved (nor with a quick look through anything on paper).
@Vierkantor I just couldn't take it anymore.
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Power_set&diff=prev&oldid=1096936716
However, I note that the German Wikipedia also says it's a thing:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diskussion:Potenzmenge#Was_ist_mit_diesem_Zeichen_hier
And you seem Dutch, which is close to Germany?
So maybe it's just German notation, the way that tg is Russian notation for the tangent. :)
@Vierkantor@mastodon.vierkantor.com @JordiGH@mathstodon.xyz I've usually seen $\mathcal P$ in Germany. That other different P might also appear every now and then, but I think I haven't consciously seen it.
Gimme a damn citation for that notation, Wikipedia.