Index notation tensors quick question

In summary, the first and second terms cancel out due to the renaming of dummy indices, leaving only the third and fourth terms. When relabeling indices, it is important to relabel all terms in which the index appears and to avoid relabeling if it results in an illegal expression.
  • #1
binbagsss
1,259
11
My text has:

##\frac{\partial x^{a}}{\partial x^{p}}V^{p}-\frac{\partial x^{a}}{\partial x^{r}}V^{r}+\frac{\partial x^{a}}{\partial x^{p}}T^{p}_{qr}V^{r}+\frac{\partial x^{a}}{\partial x^{p}}\frac{\partial }{\partial x^{q}}V^{p}=\frac{\partial x^{a}}{\partial x^{p}}T^{p}_{qr}V^{r}+\frac{\partial x^{a}}{\partial x^{p}}\frac{\partial }{\partial x^{q}}V^{p}##

Looking at the 1st and 2nd terms, I see that ##p## and ##r## are dummy indices, so we can just rename them. But, surely this affects the 3rd term - e.g- say I name ##p=r## then they cancel, but I would have 4 r's in the 3rd term - which is not allowed. you can only have an index repeated twice in a single term right?

I'm not sure how to manipulate the indices to get this equality.

Thanks for your help.
(this won't look like anything well-known, I've taken out the irrelevant terms that do not contain any of the indices above).
 
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  • #2
binbagsss said:
My text has:

##\frac{\partial x^{a}}{\partial x^{p}}V^{p}-\frac{\partial x^{a}}{\partial x^{r}}V^{r}+\frac{\partial x^{a}}{\partial x^{p}}T^{p}_{qr}V^{r}+\frac{\partial x^{a}}{\partial x^{p}}\frac{\partial }{\partial x^{q}}V^{p}=\frac{\partial x^{a}}{\partial x^{p}}T^{p}_{qr}V^{r}+\frac{\partial x^{a}}{\partial x^{p}}\frac{\partial }{\partial x^{q}}V^{p}##

Looking at the 1st and 2nd terms, I see that ##p## and ##r## are dummy indices, so we can just rename them. But, surely this affects the 3rd term - e.g- say I name ##p=r## then they cancel, but I would have 4 r's in the 3rd term - which is not allowed. you can only have an index repeated twice in a single term right?

I'm not sure how to manipulate the indices to get this equality.

I'm not sure what manipulation you are talking about. As you noted, the first term is the negative of the second term, which you can see by renaming dummy indices. So they cancel, leaving just the 3rd and 4th terms.
 
  • #3
stevendaryl said:
I'm not sure what manipulation you are talking about. As you noted, the first term is the negative of the second term, which you can see by renaming dummy indices. So they cancel, leaving just the 3rd and 4th terms.
But..surely this affects the 3rd term - e.g- say I name p=r then they cancel, but I would have 4 r's in the 3rd term - which is not allowed. you can only have an index repeated twice in a single term right?
 
  • #4
If you relabel a free index in one term, you have to relabel this index in all the terms in which it appears. If you relabel a pair of dummy indices index in one term, you do not have have to relabel dummy indices in any terms. In fact, you are prohibited from relabeling if relabeling results in something illegal.
 
  • #5
George Jones said:
If you relabel a free index in one term, you have to relabel this index in all the terms in which it appears. If you relabel a pair of dummy indices index in one term, you do not have have to relabel dummy indices in any terms. In fact, you are prohibited from relabeling if relabeling results in something illegal.

I see. thanks.
 

Related to Index notation tensors quick question

1. What is index notation in tensors?

Index notation is a mathematical notation used to represent tensors, which are multi-dimensional arrays of numbers. In this notation, each index represents a specific dimension of the tensor, and the values of the tensor are written in a specific order based on their position in the array.

2. How is index notation used in tensor operations?

Index notation is used in tensor operations to represent and manipulate the values of tensors. By using indices, we can perform operations on specific elements of a tensor, such as addition, subtraction, and multiplication.

3. What are the benefits of using index notation in tensors?

Index notation allows for a compact and efficient representation of tensors, making it easier to perform mathematical operations and visualize the data. It also allows for a more generalized approach to working with tensors, as the notation can be applied to tensors of any dimension.

4. How do you read index notation for tensors?

In index notation, the indices are written as subscripts or superscripts of the tensor's symbol. The position of the index indicates the dimension of the tensor, and the value of the index represents the specific element in that dimension. For example, Aij represents the element in the ith row and jth column of the tensor A.

5. Can index notation be used for tensors of any dimension?

Yes, index notation can be used for tensors of any dimension. The number of indices used will depend on the dimension of the tensor, and the order of the indices will determine the position of the element in the tensor. For example, a 3-dimensional tensor would require three indices, while a 5-dimensional tensor would require five indices.

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