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Talk:Combinatorics

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Description of sections

Reading "Algebraic combinatorics (applying algebraic techniques to combinatorial problems)", I feel like more often than not it's the other way round: people apply combinatorial techniques to understand algebraic settings. Examples would be Möbius functions of posets as homologies, Hilbert series of modules, ...

I feel similar for other section descriptions. Christian Stump 13:33, 24 March 2014 (UTC)

I tried to improve the page.
The definitions should be:
Algebraic combinatorics
Employs methods of abstract algebra, notably group theory and representation theory, in various combinatorial contexts.
Combinatorial algebra
Employs combinatorial techniques in various algebraic contexts.
Unfortunately, sometimes the terms are used interchangeably, which can be confusing. It appears that the term "algebraic combinatorics" is often used to refer to either meaning.
Daniel Forgues 18:16, 24 March 2014 (UTC)