Symmetric [{s1,…,sn}]
represents the symmetry of a tensor that is symmetric in the slots si.
Symmetric
Symmetric [{s1,…,sn}]
represents the symmetry of a tensor that is symmetric in the slots si.
Details
- The slots si must be different positive numbers. The order of the list is irrelevant.
- Symmetric [{}] and Symmetric [{s}] are both equivalent to the identity symmetry.
- Symmetric [All ] represents the symmetry of a tensor that is symmetric in all its slots.
- If an array is symmetric in a set of slots, then all those slots have the same dimension.
Examples
open all close allBasic Examples (2)
This array is symmetric:
Declare a rank-4 array to be symmetric in three slots:
Then any transposition involving those slots is equivalent to the original tensor:
Scope (3)
Applications (3)
Specify the symmetry of a symmetrized array:
Specify the symmetry of a symbolic array:
Symmetrize several slots of an array:
Properties & Relations (3)
Detect symmetric matrices:
A symmetric tensor can also be specified by providing explicit generators with phase :
The Wolfram Language automatically detects the equivalence:
Overlapping sets of symmetric slots give full symmetry over all those slots:
Non-overlapping sets do not give full symmetry. The resulting symmetry is described using generators:
Possible Issues (1)
Dimensions must coincide in all symmetry slots:
Tech Notes
Related Guides
History
Text
Wolfram Research (2012), Symmetric, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Symmetric.html.
CMS
Wolfram Language. 2012. "Symmetric." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Symmetric.html.
APA
Wolfram Language. (2012). Symmetric. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Symmetric.html
BibTeX
@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_symmetric, author="Wolfram Research", title="{Symmetric}", year="2012", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Symmetric.html}", note=[Accessed: 04-January-2026]}
BibLaTeX
@online{reference.wolfram_2025_symmetric, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={Symmetric}, year={2012}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Symmetric.html}, note=[Accessed: 04-January-2026]}