Etymology

Minkowski's question mark function

Today it means: A function, denoted ?(x), with unusual fractal properties, mapping quadratic irrational numbers to rational numbers on the unit interval, via an expression relating the continued fraction expansions of the quadratics to the binary expansions of the rationals. Full definition →

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The story

Defined by Hermann Minkowski in 1904.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.