2

The question is simple: why are some functions called 'forms'? Modular 'forms', bilinear 'forms', differential 'forms', quadratic 'forms', and so forth. It is not concretely a mathematical question but I suppose the origin of the term must be mathematical, so I ask it here.

Thanks for the comment, it seems the question was already answered here: What do mathematicians mean when they say "form"?

and here's another page: Earliest use of the word "form" in mathematics?

IAnemaet
  • 327
  • 2
    maybe duplicated to (https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/1865108/what-do-mathematicians-mean-when-they-say-form) – nyeon_22 Jan 18 '21 at 12:08
  • That link covers the forms you listed that are not "modular" decently well. Maybe modular is the only one left to ask about? – Mark S. Jan 18 '21 at 13:08

1 Answers1

0

See links: What do mathematicians mean when they say "form"?

I like this one: Earliest use of the word "form" in mathematics?

Link to wiki of Plato's theory of forms: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_forms

IAnemaet
  • 327