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WikipediaCommutative algebra

Pierce–Birkhoff conjecture

The Pierce-Birkhoff conjecture states that for every real piecewise-polynomial function f : ℝⁿ → ℝ, there exists a finite set of polynomials gᵢⱼ ∈ ℝ[x₁, ..., xₙ] such that f = supᵢ infⱼ(gᵢⱼ).

Mathematical statement

The Pierce-Birkhoff conjecture states that for every real piecewise-polynomial function f : ℝⁿ → ℝ, there exists a finite set of polynomials gᵢⱼ ∈ ℝ[x₁, ..., xₙ] such that f = supᵢ infⱼ(gᵢⱼ).

Statement source: Wikipedia statement material

Statement terms: CC-BY-SA-4.0

Attributed source material. Reuse must follow the linked attribution and share-alike terms.

Statement artifacts, not proofs

These records expose exact Lean propositions and statement-only wrappers. Defining a proposition does not supply a proof of it. A placeholder-bearing target also contains no proof. Elaboration checks syntax and types; it does not certify that a formalization perfectly captures every nuance of the informal problem.

Pinned Lean formulation 1

pierce_birkhoff_conjecture

Canonical source
Complete statement target, proof intentionally absentLean 4
theorem pierce_birkhoff_conjecture {n : } (f : (Fin n  )  )    (hf : IsPiecewiseMvPolynomial f) :     (ι κ : Type) (g : ι  κ  MvPolynomial (Fin n) ), Finite ι  Finite κ        x, f x = ⨆ i, ⨅ j, MvPolynomial.eval x (g i j) := by  sorry
Statement source
Formal Conjectures
Lean version
v4.27.0
Placeholder
Present; no proof artifact
Source evidence
Pinned source index
Fidelity review
Community formulation

References