# Gauss words, knot invariants

1. ### ArcanaNoir

757
We had a seminar on Gauss words yesterday, and the speaker brought up the fact that there are relatively few cases where the Gauss word could not be reduced to the trivial word. My question is, if the Gausss words can so often be reduced to the trivial word, how is that a good thing? At the least, how is that not a bad thing? Why do we even consider them?

2. ### I like Serena

6,194
Hey Arcana!

Gauss words... homotopy... differential geometry... (I had to look it up.)
Is this really general math?

3. ### ArcanaNoir

757
I didn't know where to put it. Knots are topology. Is that algebra? I wasn't sure. I guess algebra would be more appropriate.

4. ### I like Serena

6,194
I'd go for Topology & Geometry.

5. ### ArcanaNoir

757
Lol I wanted to put it in a topology sub forum but I didn't know we had one! I have all the other math sub forums on my homepage, I must have missed topology somehow. >_<

6. ### I like Serena

6,194
lol too. :)

Homepage? What kind of homepage?

7. ### ArcanaNoir

757
I just meant the "my pf" page.

8. ### I like Serena

6,194
I just looked, but there are no links to math sub forums there.
Did you hide them somewhere? ;)

9. ### ArcanaNoir

757
You have to go to the sub forum, then click forum tools, subscribe to this forum.

10. ### I like Serena

6,194
Aha! So you didn't subscribe to the topology sub forum I guess.
I hope you rectified that now. ;P

11. ### ArcanaNoir

757
Yes I have now happily corrected that oversight.