Definition:Bound Variable/Predicate Logic
Definition
In predicate logic, a bound variable is a variable which exists in a WFF only as bound occurrences.
Examples
Algebraic Example
In algebra:
- $x^2 + 2 x y + y^2 = \paren {x + y}^2$
both $x$ and $y$ are bound variables.
Universal Statement
In the universal statement:
- $\forall x: \map P x$
the symbol $x$ is a bound variable.
Thus, the meaning of $\forall x: \map P x$ does not change if $x$ is replaced by another symbol.
That is, $\forall x: \map P x$ means the same thing as $\forall y: \map P y$ or $\forall \alpha: \map P \alpha$.
And so on.
Existential Statement
In the existential statement:
- $\exists x: \map P x$
the symbol $x$ is a bound variable.
Thus, the meaning of $\exists x: \map P x$ does not change if $x$ is replaced by another symbol.
That is, $\exists x: \map P x$ means the same thing as $\exists y: \map P y$ or $\exists \alpha: \map P \alpha$. And so on.
Family of Sets
Let $I$ be an indexing set.
Consider the union of the indexed family of sets $\family {S_i}_{i \mathop \in I}$:
- $\ds \bigcup_{i \mathop \in I} S_i$
The variable $i$ is a bound variable such that $\ds \bigcup_{i \mathop \in I} S_i$ could as well be written $\ds \bigcup_{\alpha \mathop \in I} S_\alpha$ or $\ds \bigcup_{\gamma \mathop \in I} S_\gamma$, for example.
Also known as
A bound variable is also popularly seen with the name dummy variable, but that term has a different definition on $\mathsf{Pr} \infty \mathsf{fWiki}$.
Sometimes dummy letter can be seen.
In treatments of pure logic, this is sometimes known as an individual variable.
Some sources call it an apparent variable, reflecting the fact that it only "appears" to be a variable.
Some authors gloss over the difference between:
- a bound variable: a variable which exists in a WFF only as bound occurrences
and:
- a bound occurrence of a variable which may otherwise exist as a free occurrence.