TeXipedia

colon

Represents a mathematical relation symbol that differs from a standard text colon by having specific spacing and alignment for mathematical contexts.

Overview

Provides proper mathematical spacing and vertical alignment when used in formal mathematical expressions, particularly in function definitions and set-builder notation.

  • Essential for defining functions and mappings (e.g., f : X → Y)
  • Commonly used in set theory for set-builder notation
  • Ensures consistent spacing and alignment in mathematical formulas
  • Distinguished from the standard text colon by its mathematical properties and spacing behavior

Examples

Defining a function with proper mathematical notation.

f ⁣:R→Rf \colon \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R} 
f \colon \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}

Specifying a mapping between sets.

ϕ ⁣:X→Y\phi \colon X \to Y 
\phi \colon X \to Y

Defining a relation with domain and codomain.

h ⁣:N×N→Zh \colon \mathbb{N} \times \mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{Z} 
h \colon \mathbb{N} \times \mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{Z}