WLOG
Units & Measurements abbreviation · Math
| Stands for | Without loss of generality |
|---|---|
| Categories | Units & Measurements |
WLOG stands for Without loss of generality, a math abbreviation.
Phrase used in proofs to restrict attention to one representative case when the others follow by symmetry or relabeling. When comparing two numbers, for example, one may assume WLOG that a ≤ b.
Example: WLOG, assume x ≥ y; the other case follows by swapping the variables.
Usage notes
Also written w.l.o.g. or wlog and usually read aloud in full. Graders often challenge WLOG claims that hide a genuinely different case, so a brief justification of the symmetry is good practice. Olympiad and competition solutions use it heavily to keep arguments short.
Related abbreviations
More math abbreviations
- a.e. – Almost everywhere
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- abs – Absolute value
- arccos – Arccosine (inverse cosine)
- arcmin – Arcminute
- arcsec – Arcsecond
- arcsin – Arcsine (inverse sine)
- arctan – Arctangent (inverse tangent)
- arg – Argument (of a complex number)
- ASA – Angle-Side-Angle (congruence)
- B – Billion
- BEDMAS – Brackets, Exponents, Division/Multiplication, Addition/Subtraction