Using Formal Concept Analysis in Mathematical Discovery

Formal concept analysis (FCA) comprises a set of powerful algorithms which can be used for data analysis and manipulation, and a set of visualisation tools which enable the discovery of meaningful relationships between attributes of the data. We explore the potential of combining FCA and mathematical discovery tools in order to better facilitate discovery tasks. In particular, we propose a novel lookup method for the Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences, and we show how conjectures from the Graffiti discovery program can be better understood using FCA visualisation tools. We argue that, not only can FCA tools greatly enhance the management and visualisation of mathematical knowledge, but they can also be used to drive exploratory processes.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2007
• Where: MKM
• Authors: Simon Colton, Daniel Wagner
• Keywords: FCA Visualisation Tools, Mathematical Discovery Tools, MKM 2007, Visualisation Tools