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Definition of a Simplex

A simplex is the simplest form of convex polytope, extending the concept of a triangle and tetrahedron to any dimension. It is defined by k+1 affinely independent points in ℝⁿ, forming a k-dimensional simplex as the convex hull of these points. Key components include vertices and barycentric coordinates, with specific examples ranging from a point (0-simplex) to a general n-simplex.

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15 views1 page

Definition of a Simplex

A simplex is the simplest form of convex polytope, extending the concept of a triangle and tetrahedron to any dimension. It is defined by k+1 affinely independent points in ℝⁿ, forming a k-dimensional simplex as the convex hull of these points. Key components include vertices and barycentric coordinates, with specific examples ranging from a point (0-simplex) to a general n-simplex.

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Formal Definition of a Simplex

A simplex is the most basic type of convex polytope in any given dimension. It is the
generalization of a triangle (2D) or tetrahedron (3D) to arbitrary dimensions.

Definition:
Let v₀, v₁, ..., v_k ∈ ℝⁿ be k+1 affinely independent points (i.e., the vectors v₁ − v₀, v₂ − v₀, ...,
v_k − v₀ are linearly independent).
Then the k-simplex defined by these points is the set:

Δᵏ = { ∑(λᵢ vᵢ) | λᵢ ≥ 0, ∑λᵢ = 1 }

This is the convex hull of the k+1 points.

Key Concepts:
- Δᵏ is a k-dimensional simplex.
- The vᵢ are called vertices of the simplex.
- The coefficients λᵢ are barycentric coordinates.
- The condition ∑λᵢ = 1 and λᵢ ≥ 0 ensures all points lie in the convex combination of the
vertices.

Examples:
| Dimension k | Name | Geometric Object |
|-------------|----------------|--------------------------|
|0 | 0-simplex | A single point |
|1 | 1-simplex | A line segment |
|2 | 2-simplex | A triangle |
|3 | 3-simplex | A tetrahedron |
|n | n-simplex | Generalization in ℝⁿ |

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