Definition:Connected Relation

Definition
Let $\RR \subseteq S \times S$ be a relation on a set $S$.

Then $\RR$ is connected :
 * $\forall a, b \in S: a \ne b \implies \tuple {a, b} \in \RR \lor \tuple {b, a} \in \RR$

That is, every pair of distinct elements is comparable.

Also known as
Some sources use the term weakly connected, using the term strictly connected relation for what is defined on as total relation.

A set on which $\RR$ is connected can be referred to as an $\RR$-connected set.

Also see

 * Definition:Total Relation: a connected relation which also insists that $\tuple {a, b} \in \RR \lor \tuple {b, a} \in \RR$ even for $a = b$


 * Relation is Connected and Reflexive iff Total


 * Definition:Trichotomy