Unclear definition of degree for finite fields (and maybe more)

[fingolfin]

  degree(R::GFField)

  Return the degree of the given finite field.

  ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

  degree(a::FqPolyRepField)

  Return the degree of the given finite field.

  ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

  degree(a::FqField)

  Return the degree of the given finite field.

There may be more

But degree over what? The prime field? Then it should say so. Or over some other field? Then it should say which it is.

I am guessing the intention is for it to not necessarily being over the prime field, because there is also this:

  absolute_degree(a::FqField)

  Return the degree of the given finite field over the prime field.

In addition to clarifying what degree does, I think it would also be good if degree had a reference to total_degree and vice versa.

Maybe @mgkurtz can work on that, once we know what these should say (which I hope @thofma or @fieker will tell us)

[fieker]

At this point, all degrees are absolute. In Nemo the other fields do not yet exist.

…

On Sun, 12 Mar 2023, 22:53 Max Horn, ***@***.***> wrote: degree(R::GFField) Return the degree of the given finite field. ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── degree(a::FqPolyRepField) Return the degree of the given finite field. ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── degree(a::FqField) Return the degree of the given finite field. There may be more But degree over what? The prime field? Then it should say so. Or over some other field? Then it should say which it is. I am guessing the intention is for it to not necessarily being over the prime field, because there is also this: absolute_degree(a::FqField) Return the degree of the given finite field over the prime field. In addition to clarifying what degree does, I think it would also be good if degree had a reference to total_degree and vice versa. Maybe @mgkurtz <https://github.com/mgkurtz> can work on that, once we know what these should say (which I hope @thofma <https://github.com/thofma> or @fieker <https://github.com/fieker> will tell us) — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#1412>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AA36CV35OJVRYNVDFGUGRPLW3ZAU3ANCNFSM6AAAAAAVYLLZVY> . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[thofma]

I am adding documentation in #1411

P.S.: But only for FqField. No one should spend time on the other finite fields.