Lemma (mathematics)

Not to be confused with Lemma (morphology).

In mathematics and other fields,[a] a lemma (pl.: lemmas or lemmata) is a generally minor, proven proposition which is used as a stepping stone to a larger result. For that reason, it is also known as a "helping theorem" or an "auxiliary theorem".[3][4] In many cases, a lemma derives its importance from the theorem it aims to prove; however, a lemma can also turn out to be more important than originally thought.[5]

  1. ^ [1] "Lemma." Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster.
  2. ^ Loewen, Nathan R. B. Beyond the Problem of Evil. Lexington Books. March 12, 2018. ISBN 9781498555739 p. 47
  3. ^ Higham, Nicholas J. (1998). Handbook of Writing for the Mathematical Sciences. Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. pp. 16. ISBN 0-89871-420-6.
  4. ^ "Definition of lemma | Dictionary.com". www.dictionary.com. Retrieved 2019-11-28.
  5. ^ Richeson, Dave (2008-09-23). "What is the difference between a theorem, a lemma, and a corollary?". David Richeson: Division by Zero. Retrieved 2019-11-28.


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