Conway notation (knot theory)
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In knot theory, Conway notation, invented by John Horton Conway, is a way of describing knots that makes many of their properties clear. It composes a knot using certain operations on tangles to construct it.
Basic concepts[]
Tangles[]
In Conway notation, the tangles are generally algebraic 2-tangles. This means their tangle diagrams consist of 2 arcs and 4 points on the edge of the diagram; furthermore, they are built up from rational tangles using the Conway operations.
[The following seems to be attempting to describe only integer or 1/n rational tangles] Tangles consisting only of positive crossings are denoted by the number of crossings, or if there are only negative crossings it is denoted by a negative number. If the arcs are not crossed, or can be transformed into an uncrossed position with the Reidemeister moves, it is called the 0 or ∞ tangle, depending on the orientation of the tangle.
Operations on tangles[]
If a tangle, a, is reflected on the NW-SE line, it is denoted by −a. (Note that this is different from a tangle with a negative number of crossings.)Tangles have three binary operations, sum, product, and ramification,[1] however all can be explained using tangle addition and negation. The tangle product, a b, is equivalent to −a+b. and ramification or a,b, is equivalent to −a+−b.
Advanced concepts[]
Rational tangles are equivalent if and only if their fractions are equal. An accessible proof of this fact is given in (Kauffman and Lambropoulou 2004). A number before an asterisk, *, denotes the polyhedron number; multiple asterisks indicate that multiple polyhedra of that number exist.[2]
See also[]
- Conway knot
- Dowker notation
- Alexander–Briggs notation
References[]
- ^ "Conway notation", mi.sanu.ac.rs.
- ^ "Conway Notation", The Knot Atlas.
Further reading[]
- Conway, J.H. (1970). "An Enumeration of Knots and Links, and Some of Their Algebraic Properties" (PDF). In Leech, J. (ed.). Computational Problems in Abstract Algebra. Pergamon Press. pp. 329–358. ISBN 0080129757.
- Kauffman, Louis H.; Lambropoulou, Sofia (2004). "On the classification of rational tangles". Advances in Applied Mathematics. 33 (2): 199–237. arXiv:math/0311499. doi:10.1016/j.aam.2003.06.002. S2CID 119143716.
- Knot theory
- John Horton Conway