# Big Omicron and big Omega and big Theta

@article{Knuth1976BigOA,
title={Big Omicron and big Omega and big Theta},
author={Donald Ervin Knuth},
journal={SIGACT News},
year={1976},
volume={8},
pages={18-24}
}
• D. Knuth
• Published 1 April 1976
• Education
• SIGACT News
Most of us have gotten accustomed to the idea of using the notation O(f(n)) to stand for any function whose magnitude is upper-bounded by a constant times f(n) , for all large n. Sometimes we also need a corresponding notation for lower-bounded functions, i.e., those functions which are at least as large as a constant times f(n) for all large n. Unfortunately~ people have occasionally been using the O-notation for lower bounds, for example when they reject a particular sorting method "because…
618 Citations

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