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== Sk (square-particulars) ==
An '''S-expression''' is any product, or ratio of products, of the '''square superparticulars''' S''k'', which are defined as the fractions of the form {{sfrac|''k''<sup>2</sup>|''k''<sup>2</sup> − 1}}. Commas defined by S-expressions turn out to represent intuitive and wide-reaching families of tempered equivalences, and therefore present a very useful framework to learn for a good understanding of the [[commas]] that appear frequently in xen.
 
== Quick rules of S-expressions ==
As S-expressions are deployed widely on the wiki and in the broader xen community, below is a list of what the most common S-expression categories imply in terms of [[tempering out|tempering]].  The linked sections provide deeper information into each comma family.
 
* [[#Sk (square-particulars)|Square superparticulars]]: '''S''k''''', superparticular fractions of the form {{sfrac|''k''<sup>2</sup>|''k''<sup>2</sup> − 1}}. <br>Tempering out S''k'' equates {{sfrac|''k'' + 1|''k''}} with {{sfrac|''k''|''k'' − 1}}.
* [[#Sk*S(k + 1) (triangle-particulars)|Triangle-particulars]]: {{nowrap|'''S''k'' * S(''k'' + 1)'''}}, superparticular fractions of the form {{sfrac|''k''(''k'' + 1)/2|(''k'' − 1)(''k'' + 2)/2}}. <br>Tempering out {{nowrap|S''k'' * S(''k'' + 1)}} equates {{sfrac|''k'' + 2|''k'' + 1}} with {{sfrac|''k''|''k'' − 1}}, and {{sfrac|''k'' + 2|''k''}} with {{sfrac|''k'' + 1|''k'' − 1}}.
* [[#Sk2 * S(k + 1) and S(k − 1) * Sk2 (lopsided commas)|Lopsided commas]]: {{nowrap|'''(S''k'')<sup>2</sup> * S(''k'' + 1)'''}} and {{nowrap|'''(S''k'')<sup>2</sup> * S(''k'' − 1)'''}}. <br>Tempering out the former equates {{pars|{{sfrac|''k''|''k'' − 1}}}}<sup>2</sup> with {{sfrac|''k'' + 2|''k''}} and {{pars|{{sfrac|''k''|''k'' − 1}}}}<sup>3</sup> with {{sfrac|''k'' + 2|''k'' - 1}}, and tempering out the latter equates {{pars|{{sfrac|''k'' + 1|''k''}}}}<sup>2</sup> with {{sfrac|''k''|''k'' − 2}} and {{pars|{{sfrac|''k'' + 1|''k''}}}}<sup>3</sup> with {{sfrac|''k'' + 1|''k'' − 2}}.
* [[#Sk/S(k + 1) (ultraparticulars)|Ultraparticulars]]: {{nowrap|'''S''k''/S(''k'' + 1)'''}}. Tempering this out splits {{sfrac|''k'' + 2|''k'' − 1}} into {{pars|{{sfrac|''k'' + 1|''k''}}}}<sup>3</sup>.
* [[#Sk/S(k + 2) (semiparticulars)|Semiparticulars]]: {{nowrap|'''S''k''/S(''k'' + 2)'''}}. Tempering this out splits {{sfrac|''k'' + 3|''k'' − 1}} into {{pars|{{sfrac|''k'' + 2|''k''}}}}<sup>2</sup>.
 
== S''k'' (square-particulars) ==
A '''square superparticular''', or ''square-particular'' for short, is a [[superparticular]] [[interval]] whose numerator is a square number, which is to say, a superparticular of the form
A '''square superparticular''', or ''square-particular'' for short, is a [[superparticular]] [[interval]] whose numerator is a square number, which is to say, a superparticular of the form


<math>\Large \frac {k^2}{k^2 - 1} = \frac {k/(k - 1)}{(k + 1)/k}</math>
<math>\displaystyle \frac {k^2}{k^2 - 1} = \frac {k/(k - 1)}{(k + 1)/k} </math>


which is square-(super)particular ''k'' for a given integer ''k > 1''. A suggested shorthand for this interval is '''S''k''''' for the ''k''-th square superparticular, where the ''S'' stands for "(Shorthand for) Second-order/Square Superparticular". This will be used later in this article as the notation will prove powerful in understanding the commas and implied tempered structures of [[regular temperament]]s. Note that this means S2 = [[4/3]] is the first musically meaningful square-particular, as S1 = 1/0.
which is square-(super)particular ''k'' for a given integer {{nowrap|''k'' &gt; 1}}. A suggested shorthand for this interval is '''S''k''''' for the ''k''-th square superparticular, where the ''S'' stands for "(Shorthand for) Second-order/Square Superparticular". This will be used later in this article as the notation will prove powerful in understanding the commas and implied tempered structures of [[regular temperament]]s. Note that this means {{nowrap|S2 {{=}} [[4/3]]}} is the first musically meaningful square-particular, as {{nowrap|S1 {{=}} 1/0}}.


Also note that we use the notation S''k''<sup>''p''</sup> to mean (S''k'')<sup>''p''</sup> rather than S(''k''<sup>''p''</sup>) for convenience in the practical analysis of regular temperaments using [[S-expression]]s.
Also note that we use the notation S''k''<sup>''p''</sup> to mean (S''k'')<sup>''p''</sup> rather than S(''k''<sup>''p''</sup>) for convenience in the practical analysis of regular temperaments using [[S-expression]]s.


=== Significance/motivation ===
=== Significance/motivation ===
Square-particulars are important structurally because they are the intervals between consecutive [[superparticular]] [[interval]]s while simultaneously being superparticular themselves, which means that whether and how they are tempered tells us information about how well a temperament can represent the harmonic series up to the (''k'' + 1)th harmonic, as well as the potential representational sacrifices that must be made from that point onward. In other words, understanding the mappings of S''k'' in a given temperament is equivalent to understanding the spacing of consecutive superparticular intervals, and thereby to understanding the way it represents (or tries to represent) the harmonic series.
Square-particulars are important structurally because they are the intervals between consecutive [[superparticular]] [[interval]]s while simultaneously being superparticular themselves, which means that whether and how they are tempered tells us information about how well a temperament can represent the harmonic series up to the ({{nowrap|''k'' + 1}})th harmonic, as well as the potential representational sacrifices that must be made from that point onward. In other words, understanding the mappings of S''k'' in a given temperament is equivalent to understanding the spacing of consecutive superparticular intervals, and thereby to understanding the way it represents (or tries to represent) the harmonic series.


=== Table of square-particulars ===
=== Table of square-particulars ===
Below is a table of all [[31-limit]] square-particulars:
{| class="wikitable center-all
{| class="wikitable center-all
|+ style="font-size: 105%;" | 31-limit square-particulars
|-
|-
! S-expression
! S-expression
Line 472: Line 483:


=== Alternatives to tempering square-particulars ===
=== Alternatives to tempering square-particulars ===
It is common to temper square superparticulars, equating two adjacent superparticulars at some point in the harmonic series, but for higher accuracy or structural reasons it can be more beneficial to instead temper differences between consecutive square superparticulars so that the corresponding consecutive superparticulars are tempered to have equal spacing between them. If we define a sequence of commas U''k'' = S''k''/S(''k'' + 1), we get [[#Sk/S(k + 1) (ultraparticulars)|ultraparticulars]]*. Ultraparticulars have a secondary (and mathematically equivalent) consequence: Because (''k'' + 2)/(''k'' + 1) and ''k''/(''k'' - 1) are equidistant from (''k'' + 1)/''k'' (because of tempering S''k''/S(''k'' + 1)), this means that another expression for S''k''/S(''k'' + 1) is the following:
It is common to temper square superparticulars, equating two adjacent superparticulars at some point in the harmonic series, but for higher accuracy or structural reasons it can be more beneficial to instead temper differences between consecutive square superparticulars so that the corresponding consecutive superparticulars are tempered to have equal spacing between them. If we define a sequence of commas {{nowrap|U''k'' {{=}} {{sfrac|S''k''|S(''k'' + 1)}}}}, we get [[#Sk/S(k + 1) (ultraparticulars)|ultraparticulars]]<ref group="note">In analogy with the "super-", "ultra-" progression and because these would be differences between adjacent differences between adjacent superparticulars, which means a higher order of "particular", and as we will see, no longer [[superparticular]], hence the need for a new name. Also note that the choice of indexing is rather arbitrary and up to debate, as U''k'' = S(''k'' - 1)/S''k'' and U''k'' = S(''k'' + 1)/S(''k'' + 2) also make sense. Therefore it is advised to use the S-expression to refer to an ultraparticular unambiguously, or the comma itself.</ref>. Ultraparticulars have a secondary (and mathematically equivalent) consequence: Because {{sfrac|''k'' + 2|''k'' + 1}} and {{sfrac|''k''|''k'' 1}} are equidistant from {{sfrac|''k'' + 1|''k''}} (because of tempering {{sfrac|S''k''|S(''k'' + 1)}}), this means that another expression for {{sfrac|S''k''|S(''k'' + 1)}} is the following:
 
<math>\large {\rm S}k / {\rm S} (k + 1) = \frac{(k + 2) / (k - 1)}{((k + 1)/k)^3}</math>
 
This means you can read the ''k'' and ''k'' + 1 from the S-expression of an ultraparticular as being the interval involved in the cubing equivalence (abbreviated to "cube relation" in [[#Sk/S(k + 1) (ultraparticulars)|the table of ultraparticulars]]).


<nowiki>*</nowiki> In analogy with the "super-", "ultra-" progression and because these would be differences between adjacent differences between adjacent superparticulars, which means a higher order of "particular", and as we will see, no longer [[superparticular]], hence the need for a new name. Also note that the choice of indexing is rather arbitrary and up to debate, as U''k'' = S''k''/S(''k'' - 1) and U''k'' = S(''k'' + 1)/S(''k'' + 2) also make sense. Therefore it is advised to use the S-expression to refer to an ultraparticular unambiguously, or the comma itself.
<math>\displaystyle  {\rm S}k / {\rm S} (k + 1) = \frac{(k + 2) / (k - 1)}{((k + 1)/k)^3} </math>


Furthermore, defining another sequence of commas with [[semiparticular|formula S''k''/S(''k'' + 2) leads to semiparticulars]] which inform many natural ways in which one might want to halve intervals with other intervals, and with their own more structural consequences, talked about there. These also arise from tempering consecutive ultraparticulars.
This means you can read the ''k'' and {{nowrap|''k'' + 1}} from the S-expression of an ultraparticular as being the interval involved in the cubing equivalence (abbreviated to "cube relation" in [[#Sk/S(k + 1) (ultraparticulars)|the table of ultraparticulars]]).


=== S-expressions ===
Furthermore, defining another sequence of commas with [[semiparticular|formula {{sfrac|S''k''|S(''k'' + 2)}} leads to semiparticulars]] which inform many natural ways in which one might want to halve intervals with other intervals, and with their own more structural consequences, talked about there. These also arise from tempering consecutive ultraparticulars.
An S-expression is any product, or ratio of products, of square superparticulars S''k''.


== Sk*S(k + 1) (triangle-particulars) ==
== {{nowrap|S''k''*S(''k'' + 1)}} (triangle-particulars) ==
=== Significance ===
=== Significance ===
1. Every triangle-particular is superparticular, so these are efficient commas. (See also the [[#Short proof of the superparticularity of triangle-particulars]].)
1. Every triangle-particular is superparticular, so these are efficient commas. (See also the [[#Short proof of the superparticularity of triangle-particulars]].)


2. Often each individual triangle-particular, taken as a comma, implies other useful equivalences not necessarily corresponding to the general form, speaking of which...
2. Often each individual triangle-particular, taken as a comma, implies other useful equivalences not necessarily corresponding to the general form, speaking of which


3. Every triangle-particular is the difference between two nearly-adjacent superparticular intervals (''k'' + 2)/(''k'' + 1) and ''k''/(''k'' - 1).
3. Every triangle-particular is the difference between two nearly-adjacent superparticular intervals {{nowrap|''k'' + 2|''k'' + 1}} and {{nowrap|''k''|''k'' 1}}.


4. Tempering any two consecutive square-particulars S''k'' and S(''k'' + 1) implies tempering a triangle-particular, so these are common commas. (See also: [[lopsided comma]]s.)
4. Tempering any two consecutive square-particulars S''k'' and {{nowrap|S(''k'' + 1)}} implies tempering a triangle-particular, so these are common commas. (See also: [[lopsided comma]]s.)


5. If we temper S''k'' * S(''k'' + 1) but not S''k'' or S(''k'' + 1), then one or more intervals of ''k''/(''k'' - 1), (''k'' + 1)/''k'' and (''k'' + 2)/(''k'' + 1) ''must'' be mapped inconsistently, because:
5. If we temper {{nowrap|S''k'' * S(''k'' + 1)}} but not S''k'' or {{nowrap|S(''k'' + 1)}}, then one or more intervals of {{sfrac|''k''|''k'' 1}}, {{sfrac|''k'' + 1|''k''}}, and {{sfrac|''k'' + 2|''k'' + 1}} ''must'' be mapped inconsistently, because:
: if (''k'' + 1)/''k'' is mapped above (''k'' + 2)/(''k'' + 1) ~ k/(k-1) we have (''k'' + 1)/''k'' > ''k''/(''k'' - 1) and if it is mapped below we have (''k'' + 1)/''k'' < (''k'' + 2)/(''k'' + 1).
: If {{nowrap|''k'' + 1|''k''}} is mapped above {{nowrap|{{sfrac|''k'' + 2|''k'' + 1}} ~ {{sfrac|''k''|''k'' − 1}} we have {{nowrap|{{sfrac|''k'' + 1|''k''}} &gt; {{sfrac|''k''|''k'' 1}}}} and if it is mapped below we have {{nowrap|{{sfrac|''k'' + 1|''k''}} &lt; {{sfrac|''k'' + 2|''k'' + 1}}}}.
: (Generalisations of this and their implications for consistency are discussed in [[#Sk*S(k + 1)*...*S(k + n - 1) (1/n-square-particulars)]].)
: (Generalisations of this and their implications for consistency are discussed in [[#Sk*S(k + 1)**S(k + n 1) (1/n-square-particulars)|the section covering 1/''n''-square-particulars]].)


=== Meaning ===
=== Meaning ===
Notice that if we equate (''k'' + 2)/(''k'' + 1) with ''k''/(''k'' - 1) (by [[tempering out]] their difference), then multiply both sides by (''k'' + 1)/''k'', we have:
Notice that if we equate {{sfrac|''k'' + 2|''k'' + 1}} with {{sfrac|''k''|''k'' 1}} (by [[tempering out]] their difference), then multiply both sides by {{sfrac|''k'' + 1|''k''}}, we have:
 
<math>\displaystyle \left(\frac{k + 2}{k + 1}\right)\left(\frac{k + 1}{k}\right) = \left(\frac{k + 1}{k}\right)\left(\frac{k}{k - 1}\right) </math>


(''k'' + 2)/(''k'' + 1) * (''k'' + 1)/''k'' = (''k'' + 1)/''k'' * ''k''/(''k'' - 1)
which simplifies to:


...which simplifies to: (''k'' + 2)/''k'' = (''k'' + 1)/(''k'' - 1).
<math>\displaystyle \frac{k + 2}{k} = \frac{k + 1}{k - 1} </math>


This means that if we temper: <math> {\rm S}k \cdot {\rm S}(k+1) \large = \frac{k/(k-1)}{(k+1)/k} \cdot \frac{(k+1)/k}{(k+2)/(k+1)} = \frac{k/(k-1)}{(k+2)/(k+1)}</math>
This means that if we temper: <math>{\rm S}k \cdot {\rm S}(k+1) = \frac{k/(k-1)}{(k+1)/k} \cdot \frac{(k+1)/k}{(k+2)/(k+1)} = \frac{k/(k-1)}{(k+2)/(k+1)}</math>


...then this equivalence is achieved. Note that there is little to no reason to not also temper S''k'' and S(''k'' + 1) individually unless other considerations seem to force your hand.
then this equivalence is achieved. Note that there is little to no reason to not also temper S''k'' and {{nowrap|S(''k'' + 1)}} individually unless other considerations seem to force your hand.


=== Short proof of the superparticularity of triangle-particulars ===
=== Short proof of the superparticularity of triangle-particulars ===
S''k''*S(''k'' + 1) = ( ''k''/(''k'' - 1) )/( (''k'' + 2)/(''k'' + 1) ) = ( ''k''(''k'' + 1) )/( (''k'' - 1)(''k'' + 2) ) = (''k''<sup>2</sup> + ''k'')/(''k''<sup>2</sup> + ''k'' - 2)
<math>\displaystyle S(k)*S(k + 1) = \frac{\frac{k}{k - 1}}{\frac{k + 2}{k + 1}} = \frac{k(k + 1)}{(k - 1)(k + 2)} = \frac{k^2 + k}{k^2 + k - 2} </math>


Then notice that ''k''<sup>2</sup> + ''k'' is always a multiple of 2, therefore the above always simplifies to a superparticular. Half of this superparticular is halfway between the corresponding square-particulars, and because of its composition it could therefore be reasoned that it'd likely be half as accurate as tempering either of the square-particulars individually, so these are "1/2-square-particulars" in a sense, and half of a square is a triangle, which is not a coincidence here because the numerators of all of these superparticular intervals/commas are [[triangular number]]s! (Hence the alternative name "[[triangle-particular]]".)
Then notice that {{nowrap|''k''<sup>2</sup> + ''k''}} is always a multiple of 2, therefore the above always simplifies to a superparticular. Half of this superparticular is halfway between the corresponding square-particulars, and because of its composition it could therefore be reasoned that it'd likely be half as accurate as tempering either of the square-particulars individually, so these are "1/2-square-particulars" in a sense, and half of a square is a triangle, which is not a coincidence here because the numerators of all of these superparticular intervals/commas are [[triangular number]]s! (Hence the alternative name "[[triangle-particular]]".)


=== Table of triangle-particulars ===
=== Table of triangle-particulars ===
For completeness, all the intervals of this form are included, because of their structural importance for JI, and for the possibility of (in)consistency of mappings when tempered for the above reason.
For completeness, all the intervals of this form are included, because of their structural importance for JI, and for the possibility of (in)consistency of mappings when tempered for the above reason.
Below is a table of all [[31-limit]] triangle-particulars:


{| class="wikitable center-all
{| class="wikitable center-all
|+ style="font-size: 105%;" | 31-limit triangle-particulars<ref group="note">After 75, 76, 77, 78, streaks of four consecutive harmonics in the 23-limit become very sparse. The last few streaks are deeply related to the consistency and structure of [[311edo]], as [[311edo]] can be described as the unique 23-limit temperament that tempers all triangle-particulars from [[595/594]] up to [[21736/21735]]. It also tempers all the square-particulars composing those triangle-particulars with the exception of S169 and S170. It also maps the corresponding intervals of the 77-odd-limit consistently. 170/169 is the only place where the logic seems to "break" as it is mapped to 2 steps instead of 3 meaning the mapping of that superparticular is inconsistent.</ref>
|-
|-
! S-expression
! S-expression
Line 598: Line 605:
|-
|-
| S16*S17
| S16*S17
| (16/15)/(18/17)
| ([[16/15]])/([[18/17]])
| [[136/135]]
| [[136/135]]
| 17
| 17
Line 773: Line 780:
|}
|}


(Note: after 75, 76, 77, 78, streaks of four consecutive harmonics in the 23-limit become very sparse. The last few streaks are deeply related to the consistency and structure of [[311edo]], as [[311edo]] can be described as the unique 23-limit temperament that tempers all triangle-particulars from [[595/594]] up to [[21736/21735]]. It also tempers all the square-particulars composing those triangle-particulars with the exception of S169 and S170. It also maps the corresponding intervals of the 77-odd-limit consistently. 170/169 is the only place where the logic seems to 'break' as it is mapped to 2 steps instead of 3 meaning the mapping of that superparticular is inconsistent.)
== {{nowrap|S(''k'' − 1)*S''k''*S(''k'' + 1)}} (1/3-square-particulars) ==
 
This section concerns commas of the form {{nowrap|S(''k'' 1) * S''k'' * S(''k'' + 1) {{=}} {{sfrac|&nbsp;{{sfrac|''k'' − 1|''k'' − 2}}&nbsp;|&nbsp;{{sfrac|''k'' + 2|''k'' + 1}}&nbsp;}}}} which therefore do not (directly) involve the ''k''th harmonic.
== S(k - 1)*Sk*S(k + 1) (1/3-square-particulars) ==
This section concerns commas of the form S(''k'' - 1) * S''k'' * S(''k'' + 1) = ( (k-1)/(k-2) )/( (k+2)/(k+1) ) which therefore do not (directly) involve the ''k''th harmonic.


=== Significance ===
=== Significance ===
1. Two thirds of all 1/3-square-particulars are superparticular and the other third are [[#Glossary|throdd-particular]], so these are efficient commas. (See also the [[#Proof of simplification of 1/3-square-particulars]].)
1. Two-thirds of all {{frac|1|3}}-square-particulars are superparticular and the other third are [[#Glossary|throdd-particular]], so these are efficient commas. (See also the [[#Proof of simplification of 1/3-square-particulars]].)


2. They are often implied in a variety of ways by combinations of other commas discussed on this page.
2. They are often implied in a variety of ways by combinations of other commas discussed on this page.
Line 785: Line 790:
3. Their omission of direct relation to the ''k''th harmonic make them theoretically interesting and potentially useful. (The other type of comma on this page that does this is [[semiparticular]]s.)
3. Their omission of direct relation to the ''k''th harmonic make them theoretically interesting and potentially useful. (The other type of comma on this page that does this is [[semiparticular]]s.)


4. Square-particulars, 1/2-square-particulars (a.k.a. [[triangle-particular]]s) and 1/3-square-particulars are part of a more general sequence with interesting properties: [[1/n-square-particular]]s.
4. Square-particulars, {{frac|1|2}}-square-particulars (a.k.a. [[triangle-particular]]s), and {{frac|1|3}}-square-particulars are part of a more general sequence with interesting properties: [[1/n-square-particular|1/''n''-square-particular]]s.


=== Proof of simplification of 1/3-square-particulars ===
=== Proof of simplification of 1/3-square-particulars ===
This section concerns commas of the form S(''k'' - 1) * S''k'' * S(''k'' + 1) = ( (k-1)/(k-2) )/( (k+2)/(k+1) ) which therefore do not (directly) involve the kth harmonic. We can check their general algebraic expression for any potential simplifications:
We can check the general algebraic expression of any 1/3-square-particular for any potential simplifications:
<pre>
 
S(k-1) * Sk * S(k+1)
<math>\displaystyle\begin{align}
= ( (k-1)/(k-2) )/( k/(k-1) ) * ( k/(k-1) )/( (k+1)/k ) * ( (k+1)/k )/( (k+2)/(k+1) )
S(k-1) * S(k) * S(k+1) &= \left(\frac{\frac{k-1}{k-2}}{\frac{k}{k-1}}\right)\left(\frac{\frac{k}{k-1}}{\frac{k+1}{k}}\right)\left(\frac{\frac{k+1}{k}}{\frac{k+2}{k+1}}\right) \\
= ( (k-1)/(k-2) )/( (k+2)/(k+1) ) = (k-1)(k+1)/((k-2)(k+2)) = (k^2 - 1)/(k^2 - 4)
&= \frac{\frac{k-1}{k-2}}{\frac{k+2}{k+1}} \\
if k=3n+1 then:
&= \frac{(k-1)(k+1)}{(k-2)(k+2)} \\
S(k-1) * Sk * S(k+1) = (9n^2 + 6n)/(9n^2 + 6n - 3) = (3n^2 + 2n)/(3n^2 + 2n - 1)
&= \frac{k^2 - 1}{k^2 - 4}
if k=3n+2 then:
\end{align}</math>
S(k-1) * Sk * S(k+1) = (9n^2 + 12n + 3)/(9n^2 + 12n) = (3n^2 + 4n + 1)/(3n^2 + 4n)
 
if k=3n then:
If {{nowrap|''k'' {{=}} 3''n'' + 1}} then:
S(k-1) * Sk * S(k+1) = (9n^2 - 1)/(9n^2 - 4)
 
</pre>
<math>\displaystyle S(k-1) * Sk * S(k+1) = \frac{9n^2 + 6n}{9n^2 + 6n - 3} = \frac{3n^2 + 2n}{3n^2 + 2n - 1}</math>
In other words, what this shows is all 1/3-square-particulars of the form S(''k'' - 1) * S''k'' * S(''k'' + 1) are superparticular iff ''k'' is throdd (not a multiple of 3), and all 1/3-square-particulars of the form S(3''k'' - 1) * S(3''k'') * S(3''k'' + 1) are throdd-particular with the numerator and denominator always being one less than a multiple of 3 (which is to say, commas of this form are throdd-particular iff k is threven and superparticular iff k is throdd).
 
if {{nowrap|''k'' {{=}} 3''n'' + 2}} then:
 
<math>\displaystyle S(k-1) * Sk * S(k+1) = \frac{9n^2 + 12n + 3}{9n^2 + 12n} = \frac{3n^2 + 4n + 1}{3n^2 + 4n}</math>
 
if {{nowrap|''k'' {{=}} 3''n''}} then:
 
<math>\displaystyle S(k-1) * Sk * S(k+1) = \frac{9n^2 - 1}{9n^2 - 4}</math>


=== Table of 1/3-square-particulars ===
In other words, what this shows is all {{frac|1|3}}-square-particulars of the form {{frac|S(''k'' − 1) * S''k'' * S(''k'' + 1)}} are superparticular iff ''k'' is throdd (not a multiple of 3), and all {{frac|1|3}}-square-particulars of the form {{nowrap|S(3''k'' − 1) * S(3''k'') * S(3''k'' + 1)}} are throdd-particular with the numerator and denominator always being one less than a multiple of 3 (which is to say, commas of this form are throdd-particular iff ''k'' is threven and superparticular iff ''k'' is throdd).
Below is a table of such commas in the 41-limit:


{| class="wikitable center-all
{| class="wikitable center-all
|+ style="font-size: 105%;" | 41-limit {{frac|1|3}}-square-particulars
|-
|-
! S-expression
! S-expression
Line 1,168: Line 1,180:
|}
|}


== Sk*S(k + 1)*...*S(k + n - 1) (1/n-square-particulars) ==
== {{nowrap|S''k''*S(''k'' + 1)**S(''k'' + ''n'' − 1)}} (1/''n''-square-particulars) ==
=== Motivation ===
=== Motivation ===
1/n-square-particulars continue the pattern (1/2-square-particulars, 1/3-square-particulars, ...) to a comma/interval whose S-expression is can be written in the form of a product of ''n'' consecutive square-particulars (including S''k'' but not including S(''k'' + ''n'')) and which can therefore be written as the ratio between the two superparticulars ''k''/(''k'' - 1) and (''k'' + ''n'')/(''k'' + ''n'' - 1).
1/''n''-square-particulars continue the pattern (1/2-square-particulars, 1/3-square-particulars, ) to a comma/interval whose S-expression is can be written in the form of a product of ''n'' consecutive square-particulars (including S''k'' but not including {{nowrap|S(''k'' + ''n'')}}) and which can therefore be written as the ratio between the two superparticulars {{sfrac|''k''|''k'' 1}} and {{sfrac|''k'' + ''n''|''k'' + ''n'' 1}}.


In other words, each and every S-expression of a comma as a 1/n-square-particular corresponds exactly to expressing it as the ratio between two [[superparticular]] intervals, with ''n'' distance between them, where EG 10/9 and 11/10 are considered as having 1 distance between them, corresponding to (1/1-)square-particulars (in this case [[100/99|S10]]).
In other words, each and every S-expression of a comma as a 1/''n''-square-particular corresponds exactly to expressing it as the ratio between two [[superparticular]] intervals, with ''n'' distance between them, where, for example, 10/9 and 11/10 are considered as having 1 distance between them, corresponding to (1/1-)square-particulars (in this case [[100/99|S10]]).


These commas are important in a few ways:
These commas are important in a few ways:
1. As a generalization of important special cases n=0, n=1 and n=2, (which are almost all superparticular; the only case where they aren't is that n=3 (1/3-square-particulars) are throdd-particular one third of the time, so this suggests these are efficient commas. A cursory look will show that many 1/n-square-particulars for small n are superparticular, and many more are the next best things (odd-particular, throdd-particular, quodd-particular, etc.) so this confirms them being a family of efficient commas.
1. As a generalization of important special cases {{nowrap|''n'' {{=}} 0|''n'' {{=}} 1}}, and {{nowrap|''n'' {{=}} 2}}, (which are almost all superparticular; the only case where they aren't is that {{nowrap|''n'' {{=}} 3}} (1/3-square-particulars) are throdd-particular one third of the time, so this suggests these are efficient commas. A cursory look will show that many 1/n-square-particulars for small n are superparticular, and many more are the next best things (odd-particular, throdd-particular, quodd-particular, etc.) so this confirms them being a family of efficient commas.


2. Because of being the ratio of two superparticular intervals, in higher-complexity cases they often correspond to small commas between large commas which we don't want to temper, for example ([[81/80]])/([[91/90]]) = S81 * S82 * ... * S90 = [[729/728]] = S27. They also often simplify in cases like these; note that a suggested shorthand is S81..90 for S81 * S82 * ... * S90 and thus more generally S''a''..''b'' for S''a'' * S(''a'' + 1) * ... * S''b''.
2. Because of being the ratio of two superparticular intervals, in higher-complexity cases they often correspond to small commas between large commas which we don't want to temper, for example {{nowrap|{{sfrac|[[81/80]]|[[91/90]]}} {{=}} S81 * S82 * * S90}} {{nowrap|{{=}} [[729/728]]}} {{nowrap|{{=}} S27}}. They also often simplify in cases like these; note that a suggested shorthand is S81..90 for {{nowrap|S81 * S82 * * S90}} and thus more generally S''a''..''b'' for {{nowrap|S''a'' * S(''a'' + 1) * * S''b''}}.


3. They often correspond to "nontrivial" equivalences that need to be dug up which are not obvious from their expression as a ratio of two superparticular intervals, for example, [[385/384|S33*S34*S35]], suggesting they are a goldmine for valuable tempering opportunities.  
3. They often correspond to "nontrivial" equivalences that need to be dug up which are not obvious from their expression as a ratio of two superparticular intervals, for example, [[385/384|S33*S34*S35]], suggesting they are a goldmine for valuable tempering opportunities.  


4. Their expressions naturally make them implied by tempering consecutive square-particulars, so if you notice them present and that the individual square-particulars aren't tempered, if you want to extend your temperament and/or reduce its rank (tempering it down) and/or hope to make your temperament more efficient, you can try tempering the untempered square-particulars that a tempered 1/n-square-particular is composed of (although this is not always possible). There is also good theoretical motivation for wanting to do this, as the next section will discuss.
4. Their expressions naturally make them implied by tempering consecutive square-particulars, so if you notice them present and that the individual square-particulars aren't tempered, if you want to extend your temperament and/or reduce its rank (tempering it down) and/or hope to make your temperament more efficient, you can try tempering the untempered square-particulars that a tempered 1/''n''-square-particular is composed of (although this is not always possible). There is also good theoretical motivation for wanting to do this, as the next section will discuss.


5. They're relevant to understanding how much damage is present in a temperament's harmonic series representation, because they show how many superparticular intervals are either not distinguished or worse mapped inconsistently, bringing us finally to...
5. They're relevant to understanding how much damage is present in a temperament's harmonic series representation, because they show how many superparticular intervals are either not distinguished or worse mapped inconsistently, bringing us finally to


6. They're relevant to understanding limitations of consistency (or more precisely, monotonicity) of any given temperament, as the next section will discuss.
6. They're relevant to understanding limitations of consistency (or more precisely, monotonicity) of any given temperament, as the next section will discuss.


=== Significance/implications for consistency ===
=== Significance/implications for consistency ===
1/n-square-particulars, which is to say, commas which can be written in the form of a product of ''n'' consecutive square-particulars (including S''k'' but not including S(''k'' + ''n'')) and which can therefore be written as the ratio between the two superparticulars ''k''/(''k'' - 1) and (''k'' + ''n'')/(''k'' + ''n'' - 1) have implications for the [[consistency]] of the (''k'' + ''n'')-[[odd-limit]] when tempered. Specifically:
1/n-square-particulars, which is to say, commas which can be written in the form of a product of ''n'' consecutive square-particulars (including S''k'' but not including {{nowrap|S(''k'' + ''n'')}}) and which can therefore be written as the ratio between the two superparticulars {{sfrac|''k''|''k'' 1}} and {{sfrac|''k'' + ''n''|''k'' + ''n'' 1}} have implications for the [[consistency]] of the ({{nowrap|''k'' + ''n''}})-[[odd-limit]] when tempered. Specifically:
 
If a temperament tempers a 1/''n''-square-particular of the form S''k''*S(''k''+1)*...*S(''k''+''n''-1), it must temper all of the ''n'' square-particulars that compose it, which is to say it must also temper all of S''k'', S(''k''+1), ..., S(''k''+''n''-1). If it does not, it is ''necessarily'' inconsistent (more formally & weakly, not monotonic) in the (''k'' + ''n'')-odd-limit(*). A proof is as follows:
 
Consider the following sequence of superparticular intervals, all of which in the (''k'' + ''n'')-odd-limit:
 
(''k'' + ''n'')/(''k'' + ''n'' - 1), (''k'' + ''n'' - 1)/(''k'' + ''n'' - 2), ..., (''k'' + 1)/''k'', ''k''/(''k'' - 1)
 
Because of tempering S''k''*S(''k''+1)*...*S(''k''+''n''-1), we require that (''k'' + ''n'')/(''k'' + ''n'' - 1) = ''k''/(''k'' - 1) consistently. Therefore, if any superparticular ''x''/(''x'' - 1) imbetween (meaning ''k'' + ''n'' > x > ''k'') is not tempered to the same tempered interval, it must be mapped to a different tempered interval. But this means that one of the following must be true:
 
mapping((''k'' + ''n'')/(''k'' + ''n'' - 1)) > mapping(''x''/(''x'' - 1))
 
mapping(''k''/(''k'' - 1)) < mapping(''x''/(''x'' - 1))
 
Therefore any superparticular interval ''x''/(''x'' - 1) between the extrema must be mapped to the same interval as those extrema in order for a consistent tuning in the (''k'' + ''n'')-odd-limit to even potentially be possible. Another way of phrasing this conclusion is that tempering S''k''*S(''k''+1)*...*S(''k''+''n''-1) but not all of the constituent square-particulars limits the possible odd-limit consistency of a temperament to the (''k'' - 1)-odd-limit.
 
(* Note that this statement is a slight inaccuracy, because technically the tuning of the higher rank temperament corresponding to the lower rank temperament that tempers all of these commas is the unique ''and only'' (continuum of) tuning(s) for which this statement is false, but it's reasonable to simplify this technicality as this (continuum of) tuning(s) corresponds exactly and uniquely to tempering all the square-particulars we said were not tempered.)
 
== Sk/S(k + 1) (ultraparticulars) ==
 
=== Motivational example ===
Often it is desirable to make consecutive [[superparticular]] intervals equidistant. This has a number of nice consequences, many of which not explained here — see the motivation section for each infinite family of commas defined on this page.
 
For example, if you want 6/5 equidistant from 5/4 and 7/6, you must equate ([[5/4]])/([[6/5]]) = [[25/24]] = S5 with ([[6/5]])/([[7/6]]) = [[36/35]] = S6, hence tempering S5/S6 = ([[25/24]])/([[36/35]]) = [[875/864]], but it's actually often not necessary to know the specific numbers, often familiarizing yourself with and understanding the "S''k''" notation will give you a lot of insight, as we'll see.
 
Back to our example: we know that S5 ~ S6 (because we're tempering S5/S6); from this we can deduce that the intervals must be arranged like this: 7/6 <— S5~S6 —> 6/5 <— S5~S6 —> 5/4.
 
From this you can deduce that ([[6/5]])<sup>3</sup> = [[7/4]], because you can lower one of the 6/5's to [[7/6]] (lowering it by S6) and raise another of the 6/5's to [[5/4]] (raising it by S5). Then because we've tempered S5 and S6 together, we've lowered and raised by the same amount, so the result of 7/6 * 6/5 * 5/4 = 7/4 must be the same as the result of 6/5 * 6/5 * 6/5 in this temperament.


Familiarize yourself with the structure of this argument, as [[Square superparticular#Mathematical derivation|it generalizes to arbitrary S''k'']]; the algebraic proof is tedious, but the intuition is the same:
If a temperament tempers a 1/''n''-square-particular of the form {{nowrap|S''k''*S(''k'' + 1)*…*S(''k'' + ''n'' − 1)}}, it must temper all of the ''n'' square-particulars that compose it, which is to say it must also temper all of S''k'', {{nowrap|S(''k'' + 1)}}, …, {{nowrap|S(''k'' + ''n'' − 1)}}. If it does not, it is ''necessarily'' inconsistent (more formally and weakly, not monotonic) in the ({{nowrap|''k'' + ''n''}})-odd-limit.<ref group="note">Note that this statement is a slight inaccuracy, because technically the tuning of the higher rank temperament corresponding to the lower rank temperament that tempers all of these commas is the unique ''and only'' (continuum of) tuning(s) for which this statement is false, but it's reasonable to simplify this technicality as this (continuum of) tuning(s) corresponds exactly and uniquely to tempering all the square-particulars we said were not tempered.</ref> A proof is as follows:


(''k''+2)/(''k''+1) <— S(''k''+1)~S''k'' —> (''k''+1)/''k'' <— S(''k''+1)~S''k'' —> ''k''/(''k''-1)
Consider the following sequence of superparticular intervals, all of which in the ({{nowrap|''k'' + ''n''}})-odd-limit:


...implies that three (''k''+1)/''k'''s is equal to a (''k''+2)/(''k''-1) iff we temper S''k''/S(''k''+1). {{qed}}
<math>\displaystyle\frac{k + n}{k + n - 1}, \frac{k + n - 1}{k + n - 2}, …, \frac{k + 1}{k}, \frac{k}{k - 1}</math>


=== Significance ===
Because of tempering {{nowrap|S''k''*S(''k'' + 1)*…*S(''k'' + ''n'' − 1)}}, we require that {{nowrap|{{sfrac|''k'' + ''n''|''k'' + ''n'' − 1}} {{=}} {{sfrac|''k''|''k'' − 1}}}} consistently. Therefore, if any superparticular {{sfrac|''x''|''x'' − 1}} imbetween (meaning {{nowrap|''k'' + ''n'' &gt; ''x'' &gt; ''k''}}) is not tempered to the same tempered interval, it must be mapped to a different tempered interval. But this means that one of the following must be true:
1. Tempering any two consecutive square-particulars S''k'' and S(''k''+1) will naturally imply tempering the ultraparticular between them (S''k''/S(''k''+1)), meaning they are very common implicit commas.


2. Tempering any two consecutive ultraparticulars will imply tempering the [[#Sk/S(k + 2) (semiparticulars)|semiparticular]] which is their sum/product. A rather-interesting arithmetic of square-particular (and related) commas exists. This arithmetic can be described compactly with '''S-expressions''', which is to say, expressions composed of square superparticulars multiplied and divided together, using the Sk notation to achieve that compactness.
<math>\displaystyle\begin{align}
\operatorname{mapping}\left(\frac{k + n}{k + n - 1}\right) &> \operatorname{mapping}\left(\frac{x}{x - 1}\right) \\
\operatorname{mapping}\left(\frac{k}{k - 1}\right) &< \operatorname{mapping}\left(\frac{x}{x - 1}\right)
\end{align}</math>


3. Tempering the ultraparticular S''k''/S(''k''+1) along with either the corresponding 1/2-square-particular S''k'' * S(''k''+1) or one of the two corresponding lopsided commas S''k''<sup>2</sup> * S(''k''+1) or S''k'' * S(''k''+1)<sup>2</sup> implies tempering both of S''k'' and S(''k''+1) individually, and vice versa, so that there is a total of ''five'' equivalences — corresponding to ''five'' infinite families of commas — for every such S''k'' and S(''k''+1). This only gets better if you temper a third consecutive square-particular. This is an abundance of "at a glance" essential tempering information that is fully general so only needs to be learned once, and is the motivation of the use of '''S-expressions'''. (For example, {S16, S17} => {S16 * S17, S16/S17, S16<sup>2</sup> * S17, S16 * S17<sup>2</sup>}, and any of the two commas in the latter set imply all the other commas too!)
Therefore any superparticular interval {{sfrac|''x''|''x'' 1}} between the extrema must be mapped to the same interval as those extrema in order for a consistent tuning in the ({{nowrap|''k'' + ''n''}})-odd-limit to even potentially be possible. Another way of phrasing this conclusion is that tempering {{nowrap|S''k''*S(''k'' + 1)*…*S(''k'' + ''n'' 1)}} but not all of the constituent square-particulars limits the possible odd-limit consistency of a temperament to the ({{nowrap|''k'' − 1}})-odd-limit.


=== Table of ultraparticulars ===
{| class="wikitable center-all\
{| class="wikitable center-all
|+ style="font-size: 105%;" | 23-limit {{frac|1|4}}-square particulars
|-
|-
! S-expression
! S-expression
! Cube Relation
! Interval relation
! Ratio
! Ratio
! Cents
! Prime limit
|-
| S2*S3*S4*S5
| ([[2/1]])/([[6/5]])
| [[5/3]]
| 5
|-
|-
| S2/S3 = ([[4/3]])/([[9/8]])
| S3*S4*S5*S6
| ([[4/1]])/([[3/2]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[3/2]])/([[7/6]])
| [[32/27]]
| [[9/7]]
| 294.135
| 7
|-
|-
| S3/S4 = ([[9/8]])/([[16/15]])
| S4*S5*S6*S7
| ([[5/2]])/([[4/3]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[4/3]])/([[8/7]])
| [[135/128]]
| [[7/6]]
| 92.179
| 7
|-
|-
| S4/S5 = ([[16/15]])/([[25/24]])
| S5*S6*S7*S8
| ([[2/1]])/([[5/4]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[5/4]])/([[9/8]])
| [[128/125]]
| [[10/9]]
| 41.059
| 5
|-
|-
| S5/S6 = ([[25/24]])/([[36/35]])
| S6*S7*S8*S9
| ([[7/4]])/([[6/5]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[6/5]])/([[10/9]])
| [[875/864]]
| [[27/25]]
| 21.902
| 5
|-
|-
| S6/S7 = ([[36/35]])/([[49/48]])
| S7*S8*S9*S10
| ([[8/5]])/([[7/6]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[7/6]])/([[11/10]])
| [[1728/1715]]
| [[35/33]]
| 13.074
| 11
|-
|-
| S7/S8 = ([[49/48]])/([[64/63]])
| S8*S9*S10*S11
| ([[3/2]])/([[8/7]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[8/7]])/([[12/11]])
| [[1029/1024]]
| [[22/21]]
| 8.433
| 11
|-
|-
| S8/S9 = ([[64/63]])/([[81/80]])
| S9*S10*S11*S12
| ([[10/7]])/([[9/8]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[9/8]])/([[13/12]])
| [[5120/5103]]
| [[27/26]]
| 5.758
| 13
|-
|-
| S9/S10 = ([[81/80]])/([[100/99]])
| S10*S11*S12*S13
| ([[11/8]])/([[10/9]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[10/9]])/([[14/13]])
| [[8019/8000]]
| [[65/63]]
| 4.107
| 13
|-
|-
| S10/S11 = ([[100/99]])/([[121/120]])
| S11*S12*S13*S14
| ([[4/3]])/([[11/10]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[11/10]])/([[15/14]])
| [[4000/3993]]
| [[77/75]]
| 3.032
| 11
|-
|-
| S11/S12 = ([[121/120]])/([[144/143]])
| S12*S13*S14*S15
| ([[13/10]])/([[12/11]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[12/11]])/([[16/15]])
| [[17303/17280]]
| [[45/44]]
| 2.303
| 11
|-
|-
| S12/S13 = ([[144/143]])/([[169/168]])
| S13*S14*S15*S16
| ([[14/11]])/([[13/12]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[13/12]])/([[17/16]])
| [[24192/24167]]
| [[52/51]]
| 1.79
| 17
|-
|-
| S13/S14 = ([[169/168]])/([[196/195]])
| S14*S15*S16*S17
| ([[5/4]])/([[14/13]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[14/13]])/([[18/17]])
| [[10985/10976]]
| [[119/117]]
| 1.419
| 17
|-
|-
| S14/S15 = ([[196/195]])/([[225/224]])
| S15*S16*S17*S18
| ([[16/13]])/([[15/14]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[15/14]])/([[19/18]])
| [[43904/43875]]
| [[135/133]]
| 1.144
| 19
|-
|-
| S15/S16 = ([[225/224]])/([[256/255]])
| S16*S17*S18*S19
| ([[17/14]])/([[16/15]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[16/15]])/([[20/19]])
| [[57375/57344]]
| [[76/75]]
| 0.936
| 19
|-
|-
| S16/S17 = ([[256/255]])/([[289/288]])
| S17*S18*S19*S20
| ([[6/5]])/([[17/16]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[17/16]])/([[21/20]])
| [[24576/24565]]
| [[85/84]]
| 0.775
| 17
|-
| S18*S19*S20*S21
| ([[18/17]])/([[22/21]])
| [[189/187]]
| 17
|-
|-
| S17/S18 = ([[289/288]])/([[324/323]])
| S19*S20*S21*S22
| ([[19/16]])/([[18/17]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[19/18]])/([[23/22]])
| [[93347/93312]]
| [[209/207]]
| 0.649
| 23
|-
|-
| S18/S19 = ([[324/323]])/([[361/360]])
| S20*S21*S22*S23
| ([[20/17]])/([[19/18]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[20/19]])/([[24/23]])
| [[116640/116603]]
| [[115/114]]
| 0.549
| 23
|-
|-
| S19/S20 = ([[361/360]])/([[400/399]])
| S21*S22*S23*S24
| ([[7/6]])/([[20/19]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[21/20]])/([[25/24]])
| [[48013/48000]]
| [[126/125]]
| 0.469
| 7
|-
|-
| S20/S21 = ([[400/399]])/([[441/440]])
| S22*S23*S24*S25
| ([[22/19]])/([[21/20]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[22/21]])/([[26/25]])
| [[176000/175959]]
| [[275/273]]
| 0.403
| 13
|-
|-
| S21/S22 = ([[441/440]])/([[484/483]])
| S23*S24*S25*S26
| ([[23/20]])/([[22/21]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[23/22]])/([[27/26]])
| [[213003/212960]]
| [[299/297]]
| 0.35
| 23
|-
|-
| S22/S23 = ([[484/483]])/([[529/528]])
| S24*S25*S26*S27
| ([[8/7]])/([[23/22]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[24/23]])/([[28/27]])
| [[85184/85169]]
| [[162/161]]
| 0.305
| 23
|-
|-
| S23/S24 = ([[529/528]])/([[576/575]])
| S35*S36*S37*S38
| ([[25/22]])/([[24/23]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[35/34]])/([[39/38]])
| [[304175/304128]]
| [[665/663]]
| 0.268
| 19
|-
| S36*S37*S38*S39
| ([[36/35]])/([[40/39]])
| [[351/350]]
| 13
|-
|-
| S24/S25 = ([[576/575]])/([[625/624]])
| S45*S46*S47*S48
| ([[26/23]])/([[25/24]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[45/44]])/([[49/48]])
| [[359424/359375]]
| [[540/539]]
| 0.236
| 11
|-
|-
| S25/S26 = ([[625/624]])/([[676/675]])
| S46*S47*S48*S49
| ([[9/8]])/([[26/25]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[46/45]])/([[50/49]])
| [[140625/140608]]
| [[1127/1125]]
| 0.209
| 23
|-
|-
| S26/S27 = ([[676/675]])/([[729/728]])
| S51*S52*S53*S54
| ([[28/25]])/([[27/26]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[51/50]])/([[55/54]])
| [[492128/492075]]
| [[1377/1375]]
| 0.186
| 17
|-
|-
| S27/S28 = ([[729/728]])/([[784/783]])
| S52*S53*S54*S55
| ([[29/26]])/([[28/27]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[52/51]])/([[56/55]])
| [[570807/570752]]
| [[715/714]]
| 0.167
| 17
|-
|-
| S28/S29 = ([[784/783]])/([[841/840]])
| S65*S66*S67*S68
| ([[10/9]])/([[29/28]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[65/64]])/([[69/68]])
| [[219520/219501]]
| [[1105/1104]]
| 0.15
| 23
|-
|-
| S31/S32 = ([[961/960]])/([[1024/1023]])
| S66*S67*S68*S69
| ([[11/10]])/([[32/31]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[66/65]])/([[70/69]])
| [[327701/327680]]
| [[2277/2275]]
| 0.111
| 23
|-
|-
| S33/S34 = ([[1089/1088]])/([[1156/1155]])
| S77*S78*S79*S80
| ([[35/32]])/([[34/33]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[77/76]])/([[81/80]])
| [[1257795/1257728]]
| [[1540/1539]]
| 0.092
| 19
|-
|-
| S34/S35 = ([[1156/1155]])/([[1225/1224]])
| S81*S82*S83*S84
| ([[12/11]])/([[35/34]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[81/80]])/([[85/84]])
| [[471648/471625]]
| [[1701/1700]]
| 0.084
| 17
|-
|-
| S37/S38 = ([[1369/1368]])/([[1444/1443]])
| S92*S93*S94*S95
| ([[13/12]])/([[38/37]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[92/91]])/([[96/95]])
| [[658489/658464]]
| [[2185/2184]]
| 0.066
| 23
|-
|-
| S40/S41 = ([[1600/1599]])/([[1681/1680]])
| S96*S97*S98*S99
| ([[14/13]])/([[41/40]])<sup>3</sup>
| <span style="font-size:0.94em">([[96/95]])/([[100/99]])</span>
| [[896000/895973]]
| [[2376/2375]]
| 0.052
| 19
|-
|-
| S43/S44 = ([[1849/1848]])/([[1936/1935]])
| <span style="font-size: 0.79em;">S221*S222*S223*S224</span>
| ([[15/14]])/([[44/43]])<sup>3</sup>
| <span style="font-size: 0.79em;">([[221/220]])/([[225/224]])</span>
| [[1192605/1192576]]
| [[12376/12375]]
| 0.042
| 17
|}
 
{| class="wikitable center-all
|+ style="font-size: 105%;" | 23-limit {{frac|1|5}}-square particulars
|-
|-
| S46/S47 = ([[2116/2115]])/([[2209/2208]])
! S-expression
| ([[16/15]])/([[47/46]])<sup>3</sup>
! Interval relation
| [[1557376/1557345]]
! Ratio
| 0.034
! Prime limit
|-
|-
| S49/S50 = ([[2401/2400]])/([[2500/2499]])
| S2*S3*S4*S5*S6
| ([[17/16]])/([[50/49]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[2/1]])/([[7/6]])
| [[2000033/2000000]]
| [[12/7]]
| 0.029
| 7
|-
| S3*S4*S5*S6*S7
| ([[3/2]])/([[8/7]])
| [[21/16]]
| 7
|-
| S4*S5*S6*S7*S8
| ([[4/3]])/([[9/8]])
| [[32/27]]
| 3
|-
| S5*S6*S7*S8*S9
| ([[5/4]])/([[10/9]])
| [[9/8]]
| 3
|-
| S6*S7*S8*S9*S10
| ([[6/5]])/([[11/10]])
| [[12/11]]
| 11
|-
|-
| S50/S51 = ([[2500/2499]])/([[2601/2600]])
| S7*S8*S9*S10*S11
| ([[52/49]])/([[51/50]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[7/6]])/([[12/11]])
| [[6500000/6499899]]
| [[77/72]]
| 0.027
| 11
|-
|-
| S55/S56 = ([[3025/3024]])/([[3136/3135]])
| S8*S9*S10*S11*S12
| ([[19/18]])/([[56/55]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[8/7]])/([[13/12]])
| [[3161125/3161088]]
| [[96/91]]
| 0.02
| 13
|-
|-
| S64/S65 = ([[4096/4095]])/([[4225/4224]])
| S9*S10*S11*S12*S13
| ([[22/21]])/([[65/64]])<sup>3</sup>
| ([[9/8]])/([[14/13]])
| [[5767168/5767125]]
| [[117/112]]
| 0.013
| 13
|}
|-
 
| S10*S11*S12*S13*S14
The above table is a list of all [[23-limit]] ultraparticulars corresponding to S''k'' with ''k'' < 77, plus ultraparticulars corresponding to dividing a [[superparticular interval]] into three equal parts up to [[17/16]] (or up to [[19/18]] but excluding 18/17 because of it requiring a large prime, 71), plus S27/S28 so that we have all ultraparticulars up to S28/S29 listed rather than up to S26/S27.
| ([[10/9]])/([[15/14]])
 
| [[28/27]]
This table has been expanded following every ultraparticular from S2/S3 to S16/S17 having its own page, with S12/S13 and S13/S14 expected to have their own pages soon. Note that ultraparticulars are, in general, extremely precise commas so that usually one wouldn't consider tempering them directly rather than through tempering the square-particulars S''k'' which they are composed of. As an example of this, notice that [[4000/3993|S10/S11]] is the largest ultraparticular categorised as an [[unnoticeable comma]], which means not unnoticeable in the absolute sense but rather in the sense of being smaller than the melodic just-noticeable difference, despite only dividing a superparticular as simple and unremarkable as [[4/3]]. For this reason, a [[cent]]s column has been included to aid an appreciation of their precision. The cent value of a [[semiparticular]] is roughly double that of any of the two ultraparticulars it is composed of; this becomes more true the higher you go.
| 7
 
|-
Note also from this table how the shorthand becomes increasingly convenient higher up the series, where (preferably [[consistent]]) temperaments that temper out the ultraparticular but neither of the superparticulars which it is a difference between are of increasing precision. Note also how every three superparticulars the interval divided into three equal parts simplifies to a superparticular. This happens for S(3''k'' + 1)/S(3''k''+ 2) for a positive integer ''k'', because then the superparticular can be expressed as:
| S11*S12*S13*S14*S15
 
| ([[11/10]])/([[16/15]])
<math>\frac{(3k + 3)/3k}{((3k + 2)(3k + 1))^3} = \frac{(k + 1)/k}{((3k + 2)(3k + 1))^3}</math>
| [[33/32]]
 
| 11
Also note that if you temper multiple adjacent ultraparticulars, you sometimes are not required to use those ultraparticulars in the comma list as description of (the bulk of) the tempering may be possible through [[#Sk/S(k + 2) (semiparticulars)|semiparticulars]], discussed next.
|-
 
| S12*S13*S14*S15*S16
== Sk/S(k + 2) (semiparticulars) ==
| ([[12/11]])/([[17/16]])
=== Motivational examples ===
| [[192/187]]
If we want to halve one JI interval into two of another JI interval, there is a powerful and elegant pattern for doing so:
| 17
* [[4/3]] is approximately half of [[9/5]]
|-
* [[9/7]] is approximately half of [[5/3]](=10/6)
| S13*S14*S15*S16*S17
* [[5/4]] is approximately half of [[11/7]]
| ([[13/12]])/([[18/17]])
* [[11/9]] is approximately half of [[3/2]](=12/8)
| [[221/216]]
* [[6/5]] is approximately half of [[13/9]]
| 17
* [[13/11]] is approximately half of [[7/5]](=14/10)
|-
* [[7/6]] is approximately half of [[15/11]]
| S14*S15*S16*S17*S18
* [[15/13]] is approximately half of [[4/3]](=16/12)
| ([[14/13]])/([[19/18]])
* [[8/7]] is approximately half of [[17/13]]
| [[252/247]]
* [[17/15]] is approximately half of [[9/7]](=18/14)
| 19
* [[9/8]] is approximately half of [[19/15]]
|-
* [[19/17]] is approximately half of [[5/4]](=20/16)
| S15*S16*S17*S18*S19
Do you see the pattern?
| ([[15/14]])/([[20/19]])
 
| [[57/56]]
The pattern is this: take some arbitrary [[#Glossary|quodd-particular]] (''k'' + 4)/''k''; observe that we can split it into (''k'' + 4)/(''k'' + 2) * (''k'' + 2)/''k''.
| 19
 
|-
Now observe that (''k'' + 2)/''k'' > (''k'' + 3)/(''k'' + 1) > (''k'' + 4)/(''k'' + 2); in fact, it can be shown fairly easily that (''k'' + 3)/(''k'' + 1) is the [[mediant]] of (''k'' + 4)/(''k'' + 2) and (''k'' + 2)/''k''.
| S16*S17*S18*S19*S20
 
| ([[16/15]])/([[21/20]])
It turns out that making this mediant — (''k'' + 3)/(''k'' + 1) — equal to half of (''k'' + 4)/''k'' is equivalent to tempering S(''k'' + 1)/S(''k'' + 3).
| [[64/63]]
 
| 7
=== Significance ===
|-
1. For differences between square-particulars of the form S''k''/S(''k'' + 2), the resulting comma is either [[superparticular]] or [[#Glossary|odd-particular]], so these are efficient commas. (This terminology also suggests [[#Glossary|throdd-particular]] and [[#Glossary|quodd-particular]] as generalizations.)
| S17*S18*S19*S20*S21
 
| ([[17/16]])/([[22/21]])
2. Tempering any two consecutive [[ultraparticular]]s implies tempering a semiparticular, so from two adjacent "thirding" equivalences you get a "halving" equivalence for free!
| [[357/352]]
 
| 17
3. Tempering any two nearly-consecutive square-particulars (S''k'' and S(''k'' + 2)) implies tempering a semiparticular; this is generally much more ideal than tempering two consecutive S''k'' because it is a lot lower damage (see [[lopsided comma]]s for (relatively) large commas implied by this higher-damage strategy).
|-
 
| S18*S19*S20*S21*S22
4. On top of the halving equivalence, there is a number of subtler structural implications, [[discussed below, that may be desirable to the temperament designer.
| ([[18/17]])/([[23/22]])
 
| [[396/391]]
=== Meaning ===
| 23
: '''Reader notes:''' In the below, we use S(''k'' - 1)/S(''k'' + 1) for symmetry around ''k'' to make the math visually simpler, but keep in mind it's equivalent to using an offset ''k''.
|-
: '''Also:''' keep in mind that ''k'' - ''a'' (for positive ''a'') is smaller than ''k'', so that ''k''/(''k'' - ''a'') > (''k'' + ''a'')/''k'' (because the former appears earlier in the harmonic series & is thus larger); this is an important and useful intuition to learn.
| S19*S20*S21*S22*S23
 
| ([[19/18]])/([[24/23]])
Tempering S(''k'' - 1)/S(''k'' + 1) implies that (''k'' + 2)/(''k'' - 2) is divisible exactly into two halves of (''k'' + 1)/(''k'' - 1). It also implies that the intervals (''k'' + 2)/''k'' (=s) and ''k''/(''k'' - 2) (=L) are equidistant from (''k'' + 1)/(''k'' - 1) (=M) because to make them equidistant we need to temper:
| [[437/432]]
 
| 23
<math>
|-
\LARGE \frac{L/M}{M/s} = \frac{ \left(\frac{k}{k-2}\right)/\left(\frac{k+1}{k-1}\right) }{ \left(\frac{k+1}{k-1}\right)/\left(\frac{k+2}{k}\right) } = \frac{Ls}{M^2} = \frac{\frac{k+2}{k-2}}{\left(\frac{k+1}{k-1}\right)^2}
| S20*S21*S22*S23*S24
</math>
| ([[20/19]])/([[25/24]])
 
| [[96/95]]
...and notice that the latter expression is the one we've [[#Mathematical derivation|shown is equal to S(''k''-1)/S(''k''+1)]] (up to an offset ''k''). In other words, you could interpret that a reason that tempering S(''k''-1)/S(''k''+1) results in (''k''+1)/(''k''-1) being half of (''k''+2)/(''k''-2) is because it makes the following three intervals equidistant:
| 19
(''k''+2)/''k'', (''k''+1)/(''k''-1), ''k''/(''k''-2)
|-
 
| S21*S22*S23*S24*S25
Also note that in the above, (''k'' + 1)/(''k'' - 1) is the [[mediant]] of the adjacent two intervals, meaning that division of an interval into two via tempering a semiparticular is in some sense 'optimal' relative to the complexity. This also means that if ''k'' is a multiple of 2, this corresponds to a natural way to split the square superparticular S(''k''/2) into two parts. For example, if ''k'' = 10 then we have (10+2)/10, (10+1)/(10-1), 10/(10-2) as equidistant, which simplified is 6/5, 11/9, 5/4, with 11/9 being the mediant of 6/5 and 5/4, and therefore the corresponding superparticular S5 = (5/4)/(6/5) is split into two parts which are tempered together: (5/4)/(11/9) = 45/44 and (11/9)/(6/5) = 55/54. The semiparticular is therefore S(10-1)/S(10+1) = S9/S11 = 243/242 = (45/44)/(55/54) = ((10+2)/(10-2))/((10+1)/(10-1))<sup>2</sup>.
| ([[21/20]])/([[26/25]])
 
| [[105/104]]
This form of comma has been named "semiparticular", because most of the time it is superparticular but less often it is odd-particular, and because when tempered out they all cause an interval to be divided into two equal parts where each part is a (tempered version of a) superparticular or odd-particular, and the interval being divided in half is sometimes quodd-particular, sometimes odd-particular and sometimes superparticular. Specifically:
| 13
 
|-
* To find out what a superparticular (''a''+1)/''a'' is approximately half of, temper the semiparticular S(2''a'')/S(2''a''+2) and you can observe that (2''a''+3)/(2''a''-1) is the interval it is approximately half of.
| S22*S23*S24*S25*S26
 
| ([[22/21]])/([[27/26]])
* To find out what an odd-particular (2''a''+1)/(2''a''-1) is approximately half of, temper the semiparticular S(2''a''-1)/S(2''a''+1) and you can observe that (2''a''+2)/(2''a''-2) = (''a''+1)/(''a''-1), a superparticular or odd-particular, is the interval it is approximately half of.
| [[572/567]]
 
| 13
* To find out what splits a superparticular (''a''+1)/''a'' in half, temper the semiparticular S(4''a''+1)/S(4''a''+3) and you can observe that (4''a''+3)/(4''a''+1), an odd-particular, is the interval that is approximately half of it.
|-
 
| S23*S24*S25*S26*S27
* To find out what splits an odd-particular (2''a''+1)/(2''a''-1) in half, temper the semiparticular S(4''a''-2)/S(4''a''+2) and you can observe that (4''a''-1)/(4''a''+1), an odd-particular, is the interval that is approximately half of it.
| ([[23/22]])/([[28/27]])
 
| [[621/616]]
Also, the interval in the denominator of an expression of a semiparticular of the form (a/b)/(c/d)<sup>2</sup> is significant in that it has a special relationship: specifically, consider tempering (a/b)/(c/d)<sup>2</sup> so therefore the interval c/d is equal to the interval (a/b)/(c/d). This is significant because it allows the intuitive replacement of two consecutive superparticulars (whose product is a superparticular or odd-particular) with the two superparticulars directly adjacent to them.
| 23
 
|-
For example, as 9/8 = 18/17 * 17/16 we can replace 18/17 with 19/18 and 17/16 with 16/15 by tempering S16/S18 = (19/15)/(9/8)<sup>2</sup> because we can multiply 9/8 by the tempered comma (19/15)/(9/8)<sup>2</sup> to get (19/15)/(9/8) = (19/18)(16/15) (because 9/8 = 18/16), or as 13/11 = 13/12 * 12/11 we can replace 13/12 with 14/13 and 12/11 with 11/10 by tempering S11/S13 = (7/5)/(13/11)<sup>2</sup> because we can multiply 13/11 by the tempered comma (7/5)/(13/11)<sup>2</sup> to get (7/5)/(13/11) = (14/13)(11/10) (because 7/5 = 14/10). Note we have to replace ''both'' intervals ''simultaneously'' as this is lower error, and note that if we want to be able to replace them individually we must pick the higher error route of tempering S16 and S18 or S11 and S13 individually (for which tempering the semiparticular is then an implied consequence). (The broader lesson is that you can rewrite exact JI equivalences with the commas you are tempering to find new interesting consequences of those commas.)
| S28*S29*S30*S31*S32
 
| ([[28/27]])/([[33/32]])
=== Table of semiparticulars ===
| [[896/891]]
Here follows a table of [[23-limit]] semiparticulars corresponding to square-particulars S''k'' for ''k'' < 96, plus all semiparticulars up to [[9801/9800|S33/S35 = S99]], an exceptional [[11-limit]] comma, plus all semiparticulars dividing [[superparticular interval]]s up to [[13/12]] (corresponding to the [[17-limit]] semiparticular [[31213/31212|S49/S51]]) for completeness. This table also shows all semiparticulars corresponding to splitting an [[#Glossary|odd-particular]] in two up to [[17/15]] (although a common strategy is to temper the square-particular that is the difference between the two superparticular intervals the odd-particular is composed of instead). The bound ''k'' < 96 was chosen as it corresponds to another remarkable semiparticular [[123201/123200|S78/S80 = S351]]. Perhaps many of the patterns will become clearer if you examine this table:
| 11
 
{| class="wikitable center-all
|-
|-
! S-expression
| S34*S35*S36*S37*S38
! Square Relation
| ([[34/33]])/([[39/38]])
! Ratio
| [[1292/1287]]
! Cents
| 19
|-
|-
| S2/S4 = ([[4/3]])/([[16/15]])
| S35*S36*S37*S38*S39
| ([[5/1]])/([[2/1]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[35/34]])/([[40/39]])
| [[5/4]]
| [[273/272]]
| 386.314
| 17
|-
|-
| S3/S5 = ([[9/8]])/([[25/24]])
| S40*S41*S42*S43*S44
| ([[3/1]])/([[5/3]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[40/39]])/([[45/44]])
| [[27/25]]
| [[352/351]]
| 133.238
| 13
|-
|-
| S4/S6 = ([[16/15]])/([[36/35]])
| S45*S46*S47*S48*S49
| ([[7/3]])/([[3/2]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[45/44]])/([[50/49]])
| [[28/27]]
| [[441/440]]
| 62.961
| 11
|-
|-
| S5/S7 = ([[25/24]])/([[49/48]])
| S46*S47*S48*S49*S50
| ([[2/1]])/([[7/5]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[46/45]])/([[51/50]])
| [[50/49]]
| [[460/459]]
| 34.976
| 23
|-
|-
| S6/S8 = ([[36/35]])/([[64/63]])
| S50*S51*S52*S53*S54
| ([[9/5]])/([[4/3]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[50/49]])/([[55/54]])
| [[81/80]]
| [[540/539]]
| 21.506
| 11
|-
|-
| S7/S9 = ([[49/48]])/([[81/80]])
| S51*S52*S53*S54*S55
| ([[5/3]])/([[9/7]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[51/50]])/([[56/55]])
| [[245/243]]
| [[561/560]]
| 14.191
| 17
|-
|-
| S8/S10 = ([[64/63]])/([[100/99]])
| S52*S53*S54*S55*S56
| ([[11/7]])/([[5/4]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[52/51]])/([[57/56]])
| [[176/175]]
| [[2912/2907]]
| 9.865
| 19
|-
|-
| S9/S11 = ([[81/80]])/([[121/120]])
| S64*S65*S66*S67*S68
| ([[3/2]])/([[11/9]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[64/63]])/([[69/68]])
| [[243/242]]
| [[4352/4347]]
| 7.139
| 23
|-
|-
| S10/S12 = ([[100/99]])/([[144/143]])
| S65*S66*S67*S68*S69
| ([[13/9]])/([[6/5]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[65/64]])/([[70/69]])
| [[325/324]]
| [[897/896]]
| 5.335
| 23
|-
|-
| S11/S13 = ([[121/120]])/([[169/168]])
| S76*S77*S78*S79*S80
| ([[7/5]])/([[13/11]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[76/75]])/([[81/80]])
| [[847/845]]
| [[1216/1215]]
| 4.093
| 19
|-
|-
| S12/S14 = ([[144/143]])/([[196/195]])
| S91*S92*S93*S94*S95
| ([[15/11]])/([[7/6]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[91/90]])/([[96/95]])
| [[540/539]]
| [[1729/1728]]
| 3.209
| 19
|-
|-
| S13/S15 = ([[169/168]])/([[225/224]])
| <span style="font-size: 0.79em;">S100*S101*S102*S103*S104</span>
| ([[4/3]])/([[15/13]])<sup>2</sup>
| <span style="font-size: 0.83em;">([[100/99]])/([[105/104]])</span>
| [[676/675]]
| [[2080/2079]]
| 2.563
| 13
|-
|-
| S14/S16 = ([[196/195]])/([[256/255]])
| <span style="font-size: 0.79em;">S115*S116*S117*S118*S119</span>
| ([[17/13]])/([[8/7]])<sup>2</sup>
| <span style="font-size: 0.79em;">([[115/114]])/([[120/119]])</span>
| [[833/832]]
| [[2737/2736]]
| 2.08
| 23
|-
|-
| S15/S17 = ([[225/224]])/([[289/288]])
| <span style="font-size: 0.79em;">S121*S122*S123*S124*S125</span>
| ([[9/7]])/([[17/15]])<sup>2</sup>
| <span style="font-size: 0.79em;">([[121/120]])/([[126/125]])</span>
| [[2025/2023]]
| [[3025/3024]]
| 1.711
| 11
|-
|-
| S16/S18 = ([[256/255]])/([[324/323]])
| <span style="font-size: 0.79em;">S171*S172*S173*S174*S175</span>
| ([[19/15]])/([[9/8]])<sup>2</sup>
| <span style="font-size: 0.79em;">([[171/170]])/([[176/175]])</span>
| [[1216/1215]]
| [[5985/5984]]
| 1.424
| 19
|}
 
== {{nowrap|S''k''/S(''k'' + 1)}} (ultraparticulars) ==
=== Motivational example ===
Often it is desirable to make consecutive [[superparticular]] intervals equidistant. This has a number of nice consequences, many of which not explained here—see the motivation section for each infinite family of commas defined on this page.
 
For example, if you want 6/5 equidistant from 5/4 and 7/6, you must equate {{nowrap|{{sfrac|[[5/4]]|[[6/5]]}} {{=}} [[25/24]]}} {{nowrap|{{=}} S5}} with {{nowrap|{{sfrac|[[6/5]]|[[7/6]]}} {{=}} [[36/35]]}} {{nowrap|{{=}} S6}}, hence tempering {{nowrap|{{sfrac|S5|S6}} {{=}} {{sfrac|25/24|36/35}}}} {{nowrap|{{=}} [[875/864]]}}, but it's actually often not necessary to know the specific numbers, often familiarizing yourself with and understanding the "S''k''" notation will give you a lot of insight, as we'll see.
 
Back to our example: we know that {{nowrap|S5 ~ S6}} (because we're tempering S5/S6); from this we can deduce that the intervals must be arranged like this: {{nowrap|7/6 &larr; S5~S6 &rarr; 6/5 &larr; S5~S6 &rarr; 5/4}}.
 
From this you can deduce that {{nowrap|([[6/5]])<sup>3</sup> &rarr; [[7/4]]}}, because you can lower one of the 6/5's to [[7/6]] (lowering it by S6) and raise another of the 6/5's to [[5/4]] (raising it by S5). Then because we've tempered S5 and S6 together, we've lowered and raised by the same amount, so the result of {{nowrap|7/6 * 6/5 * 5/4 {{=}} 7/4}} must be the same as the result of {{nowrap|6/5 * 6/5 * 6/5}} in this temperament.
 
Familiarize yourself with the structure of this argument, as [[S-expression/Advanced results#Mathematical derivations|it generalizes to arbitrary S''k'']]; the algebraic proof is tedious, but the intuition is the same:
 
<math>\displaystyle \frac{k+2}{k+1} \leftarrow S(k+1)~Sk \rightarrow \frac{k+1}{k} \leftarrow S(k+1)~Sk \rightarrow \frac{k}{k-1}</math>
 
… implies that three {{sfrac|''k'' + 1|''k''}} give {{sfrac|''k'' + 2|''k'' − 1}} iff we temper {{sfrac|S''k''|S(''k'' + 1)}}.&nbsp;{{qed}}
 
=== Significance ===
1. Tempering any two consecutive square-particulars S''k'' and S({{nowrap|''k'' + 1}}) will naturally imply tempering the ultraparticular between them, {{sfrac|S''k''|S(''k'' + 1)}}, meaning they are very common implicit commas.
 
2. Tempering any two consecutive ultraparticulars will imply tempering the [[#Sk/S(k + 2) (semiparticulars)|semiparticular]] which is their sum/product. A rather-interesting arithmetic of square-particular (and related) commas exists. This arithmetic can be described compactly with '''S-expressions''', which is to say, expressions composed of square superparticulars multiplied and divided together, using the Sk notation to achieve that compactness.
 
3. Tempering the ultraparticular S''k''/S({{nowrap|''k'' + 1}}) along with either the corresponding 1/2-square-particular {{nowrap|S''k'' * S(''k'' + 1)}} or one of the two corresponding lopsided commas {{nowrap|S''k''<sup>2</sup> * S(''k'' + 1)}} or {{nowrap|S''k'' * S(''k'' + 1)<sup>2</sup>}} implies tempering both of S''k'' and S({{nowrap|''k'' + 1}}) individually, and vice versa, so that there is a total of ''five'' equivalences—corresponding to ''five'' infinite families of commas—for every such S''k'' and S({{nowrap|''k''+1}}). This only gets better if you temper a third consecutive square-particular. This is an abundance of "at a glance" essential tempering information that is fully general so only needs to be learned once, and is the motivation of the use of '''S-expressions'''. (For example, {{nowrap|{S16, S17} &rarr; {{(}}S16 * S17, S16/S17, S16<sup>2</sup> * S17, S16 * S17<sup>2</sup>{{)}} }}, and any of the two commas in the latter set imply all the other commas too.)
 
{| class="wikitable center-all
|+ style="font-size: 105%;" | Ultraparticular ratios
|-
|-
| S17/S19 = ([[289/288]])/([[361/360]])
! S-expression
| ([[5/4]])/([[19/17]])<sup>2</sup>
! Cube Relation
| [[1445/1444]]
! Ratio
| 1.199
|-
|-
| S18/S20 = ([[324/323]])/([[400/399]])
| S2/S3 = ([[4/3]])/([[9/8]])
| ([[21/17]])/([[10/9]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[4/1]])/([[3/2]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[1701/1700]]
| [[32/27]]
| 1.018
|-
|-
| S19/S21 = ([[361/360]])/([[441/440]])
| S3/S4 = ([[9/8]])/([[16/15]])
| ([[11/9]])/([[21/19]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[5/2]])/([[4/3]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[3971/3969]]
| [[135/128]]
| 0.872
|-
|-
| S20/S22 = ([[400/399]])/([[484/483]])
| S4/S5 = ([[16/15]])/([[25/24]])
| ([[23/19]])/([[11/10]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[2/1]])/([[5/4]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[2300/2299]]
| [[128/125]]
| 0.753
|-
|-
| S21/S23 = ([[441/440]])/([[529/528]])
| S5/S6 = ([[25/24]])/([[36/35]])
| ([[6/5]])/([[23/21]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[7/4]])/([[6/5]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[2646/2645]]
| [[875/864]]
| 0.654
|-
|-
| S22/S24 = ([[484/483]])/([[576/575]])
| S6/S7 = ([[36/35]])/([[49/48]])
| ([[25/21]])/([[12/11]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[8/5]])/([[7/6]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[3025/3024]]
| [[1728/1715]]
| 0.572
|-
|-
| S23/S25 = ([[529/528]])/([[625/624]])
| S7/S8 = ([[49/48]])/([[64/63]])
| ([[13/11]])/([[25/23]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[3/2]])/([[8/7]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[6877/6875]]
| [[1029/1024]]
| 0.504
|-
|-
| S24/S26 = ([[576/575]])/([[676/675]])
| S8/S9 = ([[64/63]])/([[81/80]])
| ([[27/23]])/([[13/12]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[10/7]])/([[9/8]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[3888/3887]]
| [[5120/5103]]
| 0.445
|-
|-
| S25/S27 = ([[625/624]])/([[729/728]])
| S9/S10 = ([[81/80]])/([[100/99]])
| ([[7/6]])/([[27/25]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[11/8]])/([[10/9]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[4375/4374]]
| [[8019/8000]]
| 0.396
|-
|-
| S26/S28 = ([[676/675]])/([[784/783]])
| S10/S11 = ([[100/99]])/([[121/120]])
| ([[29/25]])/([[14/13]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[4/3]])/([[11/10]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[4901/4900]]
| [[4000/3993]]
| 0.353
|-
|-
| S27/S29 = ([[729/728]])/([[841/840]])
| S11/S12 = ([[121/120]])/([[144/143]])
| ([[15/13]])/([[29/27]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[13/10]])/([[12/11]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[10935/10933]]
| [[17303/17280]]
| 0.317
|-
|-
| S28/S30 = ([[784/783]])/([[900/899]])
| S12/S13 = ([[144/143]])/([[169/168]])
| ([[31/27]])/([[15/14]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[14/11]])/([[13/12]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[6076/6075]]
| [[24192/24167]]
| 0.285
|-
|-
| S29/S31 = ([[841/840]])/([[961/960]])
| S13/S14 = ([[169/168]])/([[196/195]])
| ([[8/7]])/([[31/29]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[5/4]])/([[14/13]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[6728/6727]]
| [[10985/10976]]
| 0.257
|-
|-
| S30/S32 = ([[900/899]])/([[1024/1023]])
| S14/S15 = ([[196/195]])/([[225/224]])
| ([[33/29]])/([[16/15]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[16/13]])/([[15/14]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[7425/7424]]
| [[43904/43875]]
| 0.233
|-
|-
| S31/S33 = ([[961/960]])/([[1089/1088]])
| S15/S16 = ([[225/224]])/([[256/255]])
| ([[17/15]])/([[33/31]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[17/14]])/([[16/15]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[16337/16335]]
| [[57375/57344]]
| 0.212
|-
|-
| S32/S34 = ([[1024/1023]])/([[1156/1155]])
| S16/S17 = ([[256/255]])/([[289/288]])
| ([[35/31]])/([[17/16]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[6/5]])/([[17/16]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[8960/8959]]
| [[24576/24565]]
| 0.193
|-
|-
| S33/S35 = ([[1089/1088]])/([[1225/1224]])
| S17/S18 = ([[289/288]])/([[324/323]])
| ([[9/8]])/([[35/33]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[19/16]])/([[18/17]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[9801/9800]]
| [[93347/93312]]
| 0.177
|-
|-
| S36/S38 = ([[1296/1295]])/([[1444/1443]])
| S18/S19 = ([[324/323]])/([[361/360]])
| ([[39/35]])/([[19/18]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[20/17]])/([[19/18]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[12636/12635]]
| [[116640/116603]]
| 0.137
|-
|-
| S37/S39 = ([[1369/1368]])/([[1521/1520]])
| S19/S20 = ([[361/360]])/([[400/399]])
| ([[10/9]])/([[39/37]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[7/6]])/([[20/19]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[13690/13689]]
| [[48013/48000]]
| 0.126
|-
|-
| S41/S43 = ([[1681/1680]])/([[1849/1848]])
| S20/S21 = ([[400/399]])/([[441/440]])
| ([[11/10]])/([[43/41]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[22/19]])/([[21/20]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[18491/18490]]
| [[176000/175959]]
| 0.094
|-
|-
| S45/S47 = ([[2025/2024]])/([[2209/2208]])
| S21/S22 = ([[441/440]])/([[484/483]])
| ([[12/11]])/([[47/45]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[23/20]])/([[22/21]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[24300/24299]]
| [[213003/212960]]
| 0.071
|-
|-
| S46/S48 = ([[2116/2115]])/([[2304/2303]])
| S22/S23 = ([[484/483]])/([[529/528]])
| ([[49/45]])/([[24/23]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[8/7]])/([[23/22]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[25921/25920]]
| [[85184/85169]]
| 0.067
|-
|-
| S49/S51 = ([[2401/2400]])/([[2601/2600]])
| S23/S24 = ([[529/528]])/([[576/575]])
| ([[13/12]])/([[51/49]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[25/22]])/([[24/23]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[31213/31212]]
| [[304175/304128]]
| 0.055
|-
|-
| S52/S54 = ([[2704/2703]])/([[2916/2915]])
| S24/S25 = ([[576/575]])/([[625/624]])
| ([[55/51]])/([[27/26]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[26/23]])/([[25/24]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[37180/37179]]
| [[359424/359375]]
| 0.047
|-
| S25/S26 = ([[625/624]])/([[676/675]])
| ([[9/8]])/([[26/25]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[140625/140608]]
|-
| S26/S27 = ([[676/675]])/([[729/728]])
| ([[28/25]])/([[27/26]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[492128/492075]]
|-
| S27/S28 = ([[729/728]])/([[784/783]])
| ([[29/26]])/([[28/27]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[570807/570752]]
|-
|-
| S66/S68 = ([[4356/4355]])/([[4624/4623]])
| S28/S29 = ([[784/783]])/([[841/840]])
| ([[69/65]])/([[34/33]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[10/9]])/([[29/28]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[75141/75140]]
| [[219520/219501]]
| 0.023
|-
|-
| S78/S80 = ([[6084/6083]])/([[6400/6399]])
| S31/S32 = ([[961/960]])/([[1024/1023]])
| ([[81/77]])/([[40/39]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[11/10]])/([[32/31]])<sup>3</sup>
| [[123201/123200]]
| [[327701/327680]]
| 0.014
|-
|}
| S33/S34 = ([[1089/1088]])/([[1156/1155]])
 
| ([[35/32]])/([[34/33]])<sup>3</sup>
(Note that while a lot of these have pages, not all of them do, although that doesn't mean they shouldn't. A noticeable streak of commas currently without pages correspond to when dividing a superparticular interval implicates intervals from a higher [[prime limit]], as a surprising amount of 23-limit semiparticulars shown here already have pages.)
| [[1257795/1257728]]
 
|-
== Using S-factorizations to understand the significance of S-expressions ==
| S34/S35 = ([[1156/1155]])/([[1225/1224]])
This section deals with the forms of the main infinite comma families listed on this page* as expressed in terms of nearby harmonics in the harmonic series and as related to square-particulars; note that this uses a mathematical notation of [a, b, c, ...]^[x, y, z, ...] to denote a^x * b^y * c^z * ...
| ([[12/11]])/([[35/34]])<sup>3</sup>
 
| [[471648/471625]]
<nowiki>*</nowiki> except [[lopsided comma]]s which are dealt with in their respective subsection of the page (which is conveniently just under this section, partly as it demonstrates a less easy application of this technique).
|-
 
| S37/S38 = ([[1369/1368]])/([[1444/1443]])
If instead of working through things algebraically we look at square-particulars as describing a relationship between adjacent harmonics, we can use this to understand why certain simplifications and equivalences exist in a way that is equivalent to the sometimes harder-to-understand usual algebraic form:
| ([[13/12]])/([[38/37]])<sup>3</sup>
 
| [[658489/658464]]
If we describe S''k'' as [''k''-1, ''k'', ''k''+1]^[-1, 2, -1] then if we write something like S''k''/S(''k'' + 2) (semiparticulars) in this form we get:
|-
 
| S40/S41 = ([[1600/1599]])/([[1681/1680]])
[''k''-1, ''k'', ''k''+1, ''k''+2, ''k''+3]^([-1, 2, -1, 0, 0] - [0, 0, -1, 2, -1] = [-1, 2, 0, -2, 1]) from which we can clearly see that we have two (''k''+2)/''k'''s making up a (''k''+3)/(''k''-1). An exercise to the reader is to go through the other forms discussed on this page to derive similar expressions.
| ([[14/13]])/([[41/40]])<sup>3</sup>
 
| [[896000/895973]]
<pre>
|-
Sk = [k-1, k, k+1]^[-1, 2, -1]
| S43/S44 = ([[1849/1848]])/([[1936/1935]])
</pre>
| ([[15/14]])/([[44/43]])<sup>3</sup>
<pre>
| [[1192605/1192576]]
Sk * S(k+1) = [k-1, k, k+1, k+2]^[-1, 1, 1, -1]
|-
= [k-1, k, k+1(, k+2)]^[-1, 2, -1(, 0)] * [(k-1,) k, k+1, k+2]^[(0,) -1, 2, -1]
| S46/S47 = ([[2116/2115]])/([[2209/2208]])
</pre>
| ([[16/15]])/([[47/46]])<sup>3</sup>
<pre>
| [[1557376/1557345]]
S(k-1) * Sk * S(k+1) = [k-2, k-1, k, k+1, k+2]^[-1, 1, 0, 1, -1]
|-
= ( (k-1)/(k-2) )( k/(k-1) ) * ( k/(k-1) )/( (k+1)/k ) * ( (k+1)/k )/( (k+2)/(k+1) )
| S49/S50 = ([[2401/2400]])/([[2500/2499]])
= ( (k-1)/(k-2) )/( (k+2)/(k+1) ) = ( (k-1)(k+1) )/( (k-2)(k+2) )
| ([[17/16]])/([[50/49]])<sup>3</sup>
 
| [[2000033/2000000]]
k-2  k-1  k  k+1  k+2
|-
-1    2  -1    0    0
| S50/S51 = ([[2500/2499]])/([[2601/2600]])
0  -1    2  -1    0
| ([[52/49]])/([[51/50]])<sup>3</sup>
0    0  -1    2  -1
| [[6500000/6499899]]
========================
|-
-1    1    0    1  -1
| S55/S56 = ([[3025/3024]])/([[3136/3135]])
</pre>
| ([[19/18]])/([[56/55]])<sup>3</sup>
<pre>
| [[3161125/3161088]]
Sk / S(k+1) = [k-1, k, k+1, k+2]^[-1, 3, -3, 1]
|-
= [k-1, k, k+1]^[-1, 2, -1] * [k, k+1, k+2]^[1, -2, 1]
| S64/S65 = ([[4096/4095]])/([[4225/4224]])
= (k+2)/(k-1) * ( k/(k+1) )^3 = (k+2)/(k-1) / ((k+1)/k)^3
| ([[22/21]])/([[65/64]])<sup>3</sup>
</pre>
| [[5767168/5767125]]
<pre>
|}
S(k-1) / S(k+1) = [k-2, k-1, k, k+1, k+2]^[-1, 2, 0, -2, 1]
= [k-2, k-1, k]^[-1, 2, -1] * [k, k+1, k+2]^[ 1, -2,  1]
= [k-2, k-1, k]^[-1, 2, -1] / [k, k+1, k+2]^[-1,  2, -1]
= (k+2)/(k-2) * ((k-1)/(k+1))^2 = (k+2)/(k-2) / ((k+1)/(k-1))^2
 
k-2  k-1  k  k+1  k+2
-1    2  -1    0    0
0    0    1  -2    1
========================
-1    2    0  -2    1
</pre>
 
This technique will be called "'''S-factorizations'''", as it is uses a certain format for expressing factorization (analogous to [[monzo]]s) that is uniquely suited for interpreting the relationships described by '''S-expressions'''.
 
Note that the redundancy in these factorizations (in the sense that there are generators that are not linearly independent of the others) is a property that reflects the reality of [[#Equivalent S-expressions|equivalent S-expressions]].
 
The generalisation of this method using commutative group theory is discussed in [[square superparticular#Abstraction|the abstraction section of this page]].
 
=== Using S-factorizations to show a useful equivalence/redundancy of S-expressions ===
Absent of restrictions on the form that an S-expression may take, there is no unique S-expression for any given rational number. This is in fact a huge advantage, because it allows one to understand the landscape of commas in a way that sees interconnectedness of subgroups and corresponding tempering opportunities. But then what S-expressions are equivalent, other than mathematical one-offs? The most important general rule can be derived quite simply using S-factorizations:
 
==== The general S-expression equivalence ====
Consider:
<pre>
Sk = [k-1, k, k+1]^[-1, 2, -1] versus what it is claimed to be equivalent to:
S(2k-1) * S(2k) * S(2k) * S(2k+1)
= [2k-2, 2k-1, 2k, 2k+1, 2k+2]^(
  [-1,    2,  -1]
      + [-2,    4,  -2]
            + [-1,    2,  -1]
= [-1,    0,    2,    0,  -1] )
</pre>
From here we can observe that the exponents are on even integers and that the factors of 2 involved cancel (we divide by 2 once for 2k-2 and 2k+2 having -1 as the power and we multiply by 2 twice for 2k having 2 as the power). Therefore the expressions are algebraically equivalent, which leads to the surprising fact that the following equivalence is true for all real and complex ''k'':
 
<math>
\large {\rm S}k = \large {\rm S}(2k-1) \cdot \large {\rm S}(2k)^2 \cdot \large {\rm S}(2k+1)
</math>
 
...where we use the notation S''k''<sup>''p''</sup> to mean (S''k'')<sup>''p''</sup> rather than S(''k''<sup>''p''</sup>) for convenience in the practical analysis of [[regular temperament]]s using [[S-expression]]s.
 
For tuning theory only integer ''k'' > 1 is of relevance. Technically, rational ''k'' other than 1 correspond to rational commas too; the most relevant case for tuning theory is that half-integer ''k'' work as an alternative notation for [[odd-particulars]], though for intuitively understanding the notation, the method described in [[#Abstraction]] may be recommendable as having (in a mathematical sense) exact analogues for every infinite family of commas defined in terms of an analogue of an S-expression, for which the most musically fruitful example is O''k'' = (''k'' / (''k'' - 2))/((''k'' + 2) / ''k'') for odd ''k'' as relevant to [[no-twos subgroup temperaments]].
 
== Sk<sup>2</sup> * S(k + 1) and S(k - 1) * Sk<sup>2</sup> (lopsided commas) ==
 
=== Significance ===
1. Tempering any two consecutive square-particulars, S''k'' and S(''k'' + 1), implies tempering the two associated lopsided commas as well as the associated [[triangle-particular]] and [[ultraparticular]], so the lopsided commas represent the general form of the highest-damage relations/consequences of doing so.
 
2. If a comma (such as the diaschisma, [[2048/2025]]), admits an expression as a lopsided comma, it means that one is likely missing out on tempering opportunities by not also tempering the square-particulars composing it (such as [[256/255|S16]] and [[289/288|S17]] in the case of the diaschisma), often involving expanding the subgroup and adding a number of new equivalence relations (as previously explained) while simultaneously making the temperament more efficient and more precise.


3. It is surprising that there are fairly simple general equivalence relations for these S-expressions, essentially being "free" to read off of an S-expression-based comma list, once you know the general form.
The above table is a list of all [[23-limit]] ultraparticulars corresponding to S''k'' with ''k'' < 77, plus ultraparticulars corresponding to dividing a [[superparticular interval]] into three equal parts up to [[17/16]] (or up to [[19/18]] but excluding 18/17 because of it requiring a large prime, 53), plus S27/S28 so that we have all ultraparticulars up to S28/S29 listed rather than up to S26/S27.


=== Derivation of equivalence relation ===
This table has been expanded following every ultraparticular from S2/S3 to S16/S17 having its own page. Note that ultraparticulars are, in general, extremely precise commas so that usually one wouldn't consider tempering them directly rather than through tempering the square-particulars S''k'' which they are composed of. As an example of this, notice that [[4000/3993|S10/S11]] is the largest ultraparticular categorised as an [[unnoticeable comma]], which means not unnoticeable in the absolute sense but rather in the sense of being smaller than the melodic just-noticeable difference, despite only dividing a superparticular as simple and unremarkable as [[4/3]]. For this reason, a [[cent]]s column has been included to aid an appreciation of their precision. The cent value of a [[semiparticular]] is roughly double that of any of the two ultraparticulars it is composed of; this becomes more true the higher you go.
Using the clarity of S-factorizations, we can show the interval relations implicated by these two new "lopsided" forms, which will make clear the reason for their name:


S''k''<sup>2</sup> * S(''k''+1) = [''k''-1, ''k'', ''k''+1, ''k''+2]^(2[-1, 2, -1, 0] + [0, -1, 2, -1] = [-2, 4, -2, 0] + [0, -1, 2, -1] = [-2, 3, 0, -1]) implies:
Note also from this table how the shorthand becomes increasingly convenient higher up the series, where (preferably [[consistent]]) temperaments that temper out the ultraparticular but neither of the superparticulars which it is a difference between are of increasing precision. Note also how every three superparticulars the interval divided into three equal parts simplifies to a superparticular. This happens for S(3''k'' + 1)/S(3''k''+ 2) for a positive integer ''k'', because then the superparticular can be expressed as:
 
<math>\frac{(3k + 3)/3k}{((3k + 2)(3k + 1))^3} = \frac{(k + 1)/k}{((3k + 2)(3k + 1))^3}</math>
 
Also note that if you temper multiple adjacent ultraparticulars, you sometimes are not required to use those ultraparticulars in the comma list as description of (the bulk of) the tempering may be possible through [[#Sk/S(k + 2) (semiparticulars)|semiparticulars]], discussed next.
 
== {{nowrap|S''k''/S(''k'' + 2)}} (semiparticulars) ==
=== Motivational examples ===
If we want to halve one JI interval into two of another JI interval, there is a powerful and elegant pattern for doing so:
* [[4/3]] is approximately half of [[9/5]]
* [[9/7]] is approximately half of [[5/3]] (=&nbsp;10/6)
* [[5/4]] is approximately half of [[11/7]]
* [[11/9]] is approximately half of [[3/2]] (=&nbsp;12/8)
* [[6/5]] is approximately half of [[13/9]]
* [[13/11]] is approximately half of [[7/5]] (=&nbsp;14/10)
* [[7/6]] is approximately half of [[15/11]]
* [[15/13]] is approximately half of [[4/3]] (=&nbsp;16/12)
* [[8/7]] is approximately half of [[17/13]]
* [[17/15]] is approximately half of [[9/7]] (=&nbsp;18/14)
* [[9/8]] is approximately half of [[19/15]]
* [[19/17]] is approximately half of [[5/4]] (=&nbsp;20/16)


S''k''<sup>2</sup> * S(''k''+1) = (''k''/(''k''-1))<sup>2</sup> / ((''k''+2)/''k'') through [-2, 3, 0, -1] = [-2, 2, 0, 0] - [0, -1, 0, 1].
These properties show a pattern: take some arbitrary [[#Glossary|quodd-particular]] (''k'' + 4)/''k''; observe that we can split it into (''k'' + 4)/(''k'' + 2) * (''k'' + 2)/''k''.


S(''k''-1) * S''k''<sup>2</sup> = [''k''-2, ''k''-1, ''k'', ''k''+1]^([-1, 2, -1, 0] + 2[0, -1, 2, -1] = [-1, 2, -1, 0] + [0, -2, 4, -2] = [-1, 0, 3, -2]) implies:
Now observe that (''k'' + 2)/''k'' > (''k'' + 3)/(''k'' + 1) > (''k'' + 4)/(''k'' + 2); in fact, it can be shown fairly easily that (''k'' + 3)/(''k'' + 1) is the [[mediant]] of (''k'' + 4)/(''k'' + 2) and (''k'' + 2)/''k''.


S(''k''-1) * S''k''<sup>2</sup> = (''k''/(''k''-2)) / ((''k''+1)/''k'')<sup>2</sup>  through [-1, 0, 3, -2] = [-1, 0, 1, 0] - [0, 0, -2, 2].
It turns out that making this mediant — (''k'' + 3)/(''k'' + 1) — equal to half of (''k'' + 4)/''k'' is equivalent to tempering S(''k'' + 1)/S(''k'' + 3).


=== Tables ===
=== Significance ===
Below is two tables of [[43-limit]] lopsided commas. First, the "top heavy" lopsided commas, where the squared interval is in the numerator, then the "bottom heavy" lopsided commas, where the squared interval is in the denominator. These tables are so big because these commas are quite large so the more interesting commas appear later. For this reason and for completeness, the tables show up to until a little past the largest known lopsided commas that have their own page: the [[olympia]] and the [[phaotic comma]].
1. For differences between square-particulars of the form S''k''/S(''k'' + 2), the resulting comma is either [[superparticular]] or [[#Glossary|odd-particular]], so these are efficient commas. (This terminology also suggests [[#Glossary|throdd-particular]] and [[#Glossary|quodd-particular]] as generalizations.)


==== Top-heavy lopsided commas ====
2. Tempering any two consecutive [[ultraparticular]]s implies tempering a semiparticular, so from two adjacent "thirding" equivalences you get a "halving" equivalence for free!
{| class="wikitable center-all
 
|-
3. Tempering any two nearly-consecutive square-particulars (S''k'' and S(''k'' + 2)) implies tempering a semiparticular; this is generally much more ideal than tempering two consecutive S''k'' because it is a lot lower damage (see [[lopsided comma]]s for (relatively) large commas implied by this higher-damage strategy).
! S-expression
 
! Square Relation
4. On top of the halving equivalence, there is a number of subtler structural implications, [[discussed below, that may be desirable to the temperament designer.
! Ratio
 
|-
=== Meaning ===
| S2<sup>2</sup>*S3 = [[3/2]] * [[4/3]]
: '''Reader notes:''' In the below, we use S(''k'' - 1)/S(''k'' + 1) for symmetry around ''k'' to make the math visually simpler, but keep in mind it's equivalent to using an offset ''k''.
| ([[2/1]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[2/1]])
: '''Also:''' keep in mind that ''k'' - ''a'' (for positive ''a'') is smaller than ''k'', so that ''k''/(''k'' - ''a'') > (''k'' + ''a'')/''k'' (because the former appears earlier in the harmonic series & is thus larger); this is an important and useful intuition to learn.
| [[2/1]]
 
|-
Tempering S(''k'' - 1)/S(''k'' + 1) implies that (''k'' + 2)/(''k'' - 2) is divisible exactly into two halves of (''k'' + 1)/(''k'' - 1). It also implies that the intervals (''k'' + 2)/''k'' (=s) and ''k''/(''k'' - 2) (=L) are equidistant from (''k'' + 1)/(''k'' - 1) (=M) because to make them equidistant we need to temper:
| S3<sup>2</sup>*S4 = [[6/5]] * [[9/8]]
 
| ([[3/2]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[5/3]])
<math>\displaystyle \frac{L/M}{M/s} = \frac{ \left(\frac{k}{k-2}\right)/\left(\frac{k+1}{k-1}\right) }{ \left(\frac{k+1}{k-1}\right)/\left(\frac{k+2}{k}\right) } = \frac{Ls}{M^2} = \frac{\frac{k+2}{k-2}}{\left(\frac{k+1}{k-1}\right)^2} </math>
| [[27/20]]
 
|-
… and notice that the latter expression is the one we've [[S-expression/Advanced results#Mathematical derivations|shown is equal to S(''k''-1)/S(''k''+1)]] (up to an offset ''k''). In other words, you could interpret that a reason that tempering S(''k''-1)/S(''k''+1) results in (''k''+1)/(''k''-1) being half of (''k''+2)/(''k''-2) is because it makes the following three intervals equidistant:
| S4<sup>2</sup>*S5 = [[10/9]] * [[16/15]]
(''k''+2)/''k'', (''k''+1)/(''k''-1), ''k''/(''k''-2)
| ([[4/3]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[3/2]])
 
| [[32/27]]
Also note that in the above, (''k'' + 1)/(''k'' - 1) is the [[mediant]] of the adjacent two intervals, meaning that division of an interval into two via tempering a semiparticular is in some sense 'optimal' relative to the complexity. This also means that if ''k'' is a multiple of 2, this corresponds to a natural way to split the square superparticular S(''k''/2) into two parts. For example, if ''k'' = 10 then we have (10+2)/10, (10+1)/(10-1), 10/(10-2) as equidistant, which simplified is 6/5, 11/9, 5/4, with 11/9 being the mediant of 6/5 and 5/4, and therefore the corresponding superparticular S5 = (5/4)/(6/5) is split into two parts which are tempered together: (5/4)/(11/9) = 45/44 and (11/9)/(6/5) = 55/54. The semiparticular is therefore S(10-1)/S(10+1) = S9/S11 = 243/242 = (45/44)/(55/54) = ((10+2)/(10-2))/((10+1)/(10-1))<sup>2</sup>.
|-
 
| S5<sup>2</sup>*S6 = [[15/14]] * [[25/24]]
This form of comma has been named "semiparticular", because most of the time it is superparticular but less often it is odd-particular, and because when tempered out they all cause an interval to be divided into two equal parts where each part is a (tempered version of a) superparticular or odd-particular, and the interval being divided in half is sometimes quodd-particular, sometimes odd-particular and sometimes superparticular. Specifically:
| ([[5/4]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[7/5]])
 
| [[125/112]]
* To find out what a superparticular (''a''+1)/''a'' is approximately half of, temper the semiparticular S(2''a'')/S(2''a''+2) and you can observe that (2''a''+3)/(2''a''-1) is the interval it is approximately half of.
|-
 
| S6<sup>2</sup>*S7 = [[21/20]] * [[36/35]]
* To find out what an odd-particular (2''a''+1)/(2''a''-1) is approximately half of, temper the semiparticular S(2''a''-1)/S(2''a''+1) and you can observe that (2''a''+2)/(2''a''-2) = (''a''+1)/(''a''-1), a superparticular or odd-particular, is the interval it is approximately half of.
| ([[6/5]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[4/3]])
 
| [[27/25]]
* To find out what splits a superparticular (''a''+1)/''a'' in half, temper the semiparticular S(4''a''+1)/S(4''a''+3) and you can observe that (4''a''+3)/(4''a''+1), an odd-particular, is the interval that is approximately half of it.
 
* To find out what splits an odd-particular (2''a''+1)/(2''a''-1) in half, temper the semiparticular S(4''a''-2)/S(4''a''+2) and you can observe that (4''a''-1)/(4''a''+1), an odd-particular, is the interval that is approximately half of it.
 
Also, the interval in the denominator of an expression of a semiparticular of the form (a/b)/(c/d)<sup>2</sup> is significant in that it has a special relationship: specifically, consider tempering (a/b)/(c/d)<sup>2</sup> so therefore the interval c/d is equal to the interval (a/b)/(c/d). This is significant because it allows the intuitive replacement of two consecutive superparticulars (whose product is a superparticular or odd-particular) with the two superparticulars directly adjacent to them.
 
For example, as 9/8 = 18/17 * 17/16 we can replace 18/17 with 19/18 and 17/16 with 16/15 by tempering S16/S18 = (19/15)/(9/8)<sup>2</sup> because we can multiply 9/8 by the tempered comma (19/15)/(9/8)<sup>2</sup> to get (19/15)/(9/8) = (19/18)(16/15) (because 9/8 = 18/16), or as 13/11 = 13/12 * 12/11 we can replace 13/12 with 14/13 and 12/11 with 11/10 by tempering S11/S13 = (7/5)/(13/11)<sup>2</sup> because we can multiply 13/11 by the tempered comma (7/5)/(13/11)<sup>2</sup> to get (7/5)/(13/11) = (14/13)(11/10) (because 7/5 = 14/10). Note we have to replace ''both'' intervals ''simultaneously'' as this is lower error, and note that if we want to be able to replace them individually we must pick the higher error route of tempering S16 and S18 or S11 and S13 individually (for which tempering the semiparticular is then an implied consequence). (The broader lesson is that you can rewrite exact JI equivalences with the commas you are tempering to find new interesting consequences of those commas.)
 
=== Table of semiparticulars ===
Here follows a table of [[23-limit]] semiparticulars corresponding to square-particulars S''k'' for ''k'' < 96, plus all semiparticulars up to [[9801/9800|S33/S35 = S99]], an exceptional [[11-limit]] comma, plus all semiparticulars dividing [[superparticular interval]]s up to [[13/12]] (corresponding to the [[17-limit]] semiparticular [[31213/31212|S49/S51]]) for completeness. This table also shows all semiparticulars corresponding to splitting an [[#Glossary|odd-particular]] in two up to [[17/15]] (although a common strategy is to temper the square-particular that is the difference between the two superparticular intervals the odd-particular is composed of instead). The bound ''k'' < 96 was chosen as it corresponds to another remarkable semiparticular [[123201/123200|S78/S80 = S351]]. Perhaps many of the patterns will become clearer if you examine this table:
 
{| class="wikitable center-all
|-
|-
| S7<sup>2</sup>*S8 = [[28/27]] * [[49/48]]
! S-expression
| ([[7/6]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[9/7]])
! Square Relation
| [[343/324]]
! Ratio
|-
|-
| S8<sup>2</sup>*S9 = [[36/35]] * [[64/63]]
| S2/S4 = ([[4/3]])/([[16/15]])
| ([[8/7]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[5/4]])
| ([[5/1]])/([[2/1]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[256/245]]
| [[5/4]]
|-
|-
| S9<sup>2</sup>*S10 = [[45/44]] * [[81/80]]
| S3/S5 = ([[9/8]])/([[25/24]])
| ([[9/8]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[11/9]])
| ([[3/1]])/([[5/3]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[729/704]]
| [[27/25]]
|-
|-
| S10<sup>2</sup>*S11 = [[55/54]] * [[100/99]]
| S4/S6 = ([[16/15]])/([[36/35]])
| ([[10/9]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[6/5]])
| ([[7/3]])/([[3/2]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[250/243]]
| [[28/27]]
|-
|-
| S11<sup>2</sup>*S12 = [[66/65]] * [[121/120]]
| S5/S7 = ([[25/24]])/([[49/48]])
| ([[11/10]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[13/11]])
| ([[2/1]])/([[7/5]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[1331/1300]]
| [[50/49]]
|-
|-
| S12<sup>2</sup>*S13 = [[78/77]] * [[144/143]]
| S6/S8 = ([[36/35]])/([[64/63]])
| ([[12/11]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[7/6]])
| ([[9/5]])/([[4/3]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[864/847]]
| [[81/80]]
|-
|-
| S13<sup>2</sup>*S14 = [[91/90]] * [[169/168]]
| S7/S9 = ([[49/48]])/([[81/80]])
| ([[13/12]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[15/13]])
| ([[5/3]])/([[9/7]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[2197/2160]]
| [[245/243]]
|-
|-
| S14<sup>2</sup>*S15 = [[105/104]] * [[196/195]]
| S8/S10 = ([[64/63]])/([[100/99]])
| ([[14/13]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[8/7]])
| ([[11/7]])/([[5/4]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[343/338]]
| [[176/175]]
|-
|-
| S15<sup>2</sup>*S16 = [[120/119]] * [[225/224]]
| S9/S11 = ([[81/80]])/([[121/120]])
| ([[15/14]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[17/15]])
| ([[3/2]])/([[11/9]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[3375/3332]]
| [[243/242]]
|-
|-
| S16<sup>2</sup>*S17 = [[136/135]] * [[256/255]]
| S10/S12 = ([[100/99]])/([[144/143]])
| ([[16/15]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[9/8]])
| ([[13/9]])/([[6/5]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[2048/2025]]
| [[325/324]]
|-
|-
| S17<sup>2</sup>*S18 = [[153/152]] * [[289/288]]
| S11/S13 = ([[121/120]])/([[169/168]])
| ([[17/16]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[19/17]])
| ([[7/5]])/([[13/11]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[4913/4864]]
| [[847/845]]
|-
|-
| S18<sup>2</sup>*S19 = [[171/170]] * [[324/323]]
| S12/S14 = ([[144/143]])/([[196/195]])
| ([[18/17]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[10/9]])
| ([[15/11]])/([[7/6]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[1458/1445]]
| [[540/539]]
|-
|-
| S19<sup>2</sup>*S20 = [[190/189]] * [[361/360]]
| S13/S15 = ([[169/168]])/([[225/224]])
| ([[19/18]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[21/19]])
| ([[4/3]])/([[15/13]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[6859/6804]]
| [[676/675]]
|-
|-
| S20<sup>2</sup>*S21 = [[210/209]] * [[400/399]]
| S14/S16 = ([[196/195]])/([[256/255]])
| ([[20/19]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[11/10]])
| ([[17/13]])/([[8/7]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[4000/3971]]
| [[833/832]]
|-
|-
| S21<sup>2</sup>*S22 = [[231/230]] * [[441/440]]
| S15/S17 = ([[225/224]])/([[289/288]])
| ([[21/20]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[23/21]])
| ([[9/7]])/([[17/15]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[9261/9200]]
| [[2025/2023]]
|-
|-
| S22<sup>2</sup>*S23 = [[253/252]] * [[484/483]]
| S16/S18 = ([[256/255]])/([[324/323]])
| ([[22/21]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[12/11]])
| ([[19/15]])/([[9/8]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[1331/1323]]
| [[1216/1215]]
|-
|-
| S23<sup>2</sup>*S24 = [[276/275]] * [[529/528]]
| S17/S19 = ([[289/288]])/([[361/360]])
| ([[23/22]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[25/23]])
| ([[5/4]])/([[19/17]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[12167/12100]]
| [[1445/1444]]
|-
|-
| S24<sup>2</sup>*S25 = [[300/299]] * [[576/575]]
| S18/S20 = ([[324/323]])/([[400/399]])
| ([[24/23]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[13/12]])
| ([[21/17]])/([[10/9]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[6912/6877]]
| [[1701/1700]]
|-
|-
| S25<sup>2</sup>*S26 = [[325/324]] * [[625/624]]
| S19/S21 = ([[361/360]])/([[441/440]])
| ([[25/24]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[27/25]])
| ([[11/9]])/([[21/19]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[15625/15552]]
| [[3971/3969]]
|-
|-
| S26<sup>2</sup>*S27 = [[351/350]] * [[676/675]]
| S20/S22 = ([[400/399]])/([[484/483]])
| ([[26/25]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[14/13]])
| ([[23/19]])/([[11/10]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[4394/4375]]
| [[2300/2299]]
|-
|-
| S27<sup>2</sup>*S28 = [[378/377]] * [[729/728]]
| S21/S23 = ([[441/440]])/([[529/528]])
| ([[27/26]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[29/27]])
| ([[6/5]])/([[23/21]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[19683/19604]]
| [[2646/2645]]
|-
|-
| S28<sup>2</sup>*S29 = [[406/405]] * [[784/783]]
| S22/S24 = ([[484/483]])/([[576/575]])
| ([[28/27]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[15/14]])
| ([[25/21]])/([[12/11]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[10976/10935]]
| [[3025/3024]]
|-
|-
| S29<sup>2</sup>*S30 = [[435/434]] * [[841/840]]
| S23/S25 = ([[529/528]])/([[625/624]])
| ([[29/28]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[31/29]])
| ([[13/11]])/([[25/23]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[24389/24304]]
| [[6877/6875]]
|-
|-
| S30<sup>2</sup>*S31 = [[465/464]] * [[900/899]]
| S24/S26 = ([[576/575]])/([[676/675]])
| ([[30/29]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[16/15]])
| ([[27/23]])/([[13/12]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[3375/3364]]
| [[3888/3887]]
|-
|-
| S31<sup>2</sup>*S32 = [[496/495]] * [[961/960]]
| S25/S27 = ([[625/624]])/([[729/728]])
| ([[31/30]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[33/31]])
| ([[7/6]])/([[27/25]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[29791/29700]]
| [[4375/4374]]
|-
|-
| S32<sup>2</sup>*S33 = [[528/527]] * [[1024/1023]]
| S26/S28 = ([[676/675]])/([[784/783]])
| ([[32/31]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[17/16]])
| ([[29/25]])/([[14/13]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[16384/16337]]
| [[4901/4900]]
|-
|-
| S33<sup>2</sup>*S34 = [[561/560]] * [[1089/1088]]
| S27/S29 = ([[729/728]])/([[841/840]])
| ([[33/32]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[35/33]])
| ([[15/13]])/([[29/27]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[35937/35840]]
| [[10935/10933]]
|-
|-
| S34<sup>2</sup>*S35 = [[595/594]] * [[1156/1155]]
| S28/S30 = ([[784/783]])/([[900/899]])
| ([[34/33]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[18/17]])
| ([[31/27]])/([[15/14]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[9826/9801]]
| [[6076/6075]]
|-
|-
| S35<sup>2</sup>*S36 = [[630/629]] * [[1225/1224]]
| S29/S31 = ([[841/840]])/([[961/960]])
| ([[35/34]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[37/35]])
| ([[8/7]])/([[31/29]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[42875/42772]]
| [[6728/6727]]
|-
|-
| S36<sup>2</sup>*S37 = [[666/665]] * [[1296/1295]]
| S30/S32 = ([[900/899]])/([[1024/1023]])
| ([[36/35]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[19/18]])
| ([[33/29]])/([[16/15]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[23328/23275]]
| [[7425/7424]]
|-
|-
| S37<sup>2</sup>*S38 = [[703/702]] * [[1369/1368]]
| S31/S33 = ([[961/960]])/([[1089/1088]])
| ([[37/36]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[39/37]])
| ([[17/15]])/([[33/31]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[50653/50544]]
| [[16337/16335]]
|-
|-
| S38<sup>2</sup>*S39 = [[741/740]] * [[1444/1443]]
| S32/S34 = ([[1024/1023]])/([[1156/1155]])
| ([[38/37]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[20/19]])
| ([[35/31]])/([[17/16]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[6859/6845]]
| [[8960/8959]]
|-
|-
| S39<sup>2</sup>*S40 = [[780/779]] * [[1521/1520]]
| S33/S35 = ([[1089/1088]])/([[1225/1224]])
| ([[39/38]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[41/39]])
| ([[9/8]])/([[35/33]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[59319/59204]]
| [[9801/9800]]
|-
|-
| S40<sup>2</sup>*S41 = [[820/819]] * [[1600/1599]]
| S36/S38 = ([[1296/1295]])/([[1444/1443]])
| ([[40/39]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[21/20]])
| ([[39/35]])/([[19/18]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[32000/31941]]
| [[12636/12635]]
|-
|-
| S41<sup>2</sup>*S42 = [[861/860]] * [[1681/1680]]
| S37/S39 = ([[1369/1368]])/([[1521/1520]])
| ([[41/40]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[43/41]])
| ([[10/9]])/([[39/37]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[68921/68800]]
| [[13690/13689]]
|-
|-
| S42<sup>2</sup>*S43 = [[903/902]] * [[1764/1763]]
| S41/S43 = ([[1681/1680]])/([[1849/1848]])
| ([[42/41]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[22/21]])
| ([[11/10]])/([[43/41]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[18522/18491]]
| [[18491/18490]]
|-
|-
| S43<sup>2</sup>*S44 = [[946/945]] * [[1849/1848]]
| S45/S47 = ([[2025/2024]])/([[2209/2208]])
| ([[43/42]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[45/43]])
| ([[12/11]])/([[47/45]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[79507/79380]]
| [[24300/24299]]
|-
|-
| S44<sup>2</sup>*S45 = [[990/989]] * [[1936/1935]]
| S46/S48 = ([[2116/2115]])/([[2304/2303]])
| ([[44/43]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[23/22]])
| ([[49/45]])/([[24/23]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[42592/42527]]
| [[25921/25920]]
|-
|-
| S46<sup>2</sup>*S47 = [[1081/1080]] * [[2116/2115]]
| S49/S51 = ([[2401/2400]])/([[2601/2600]])
| ([[46/45]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[24/23]])
| ([[13/12]])/([[51/49]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[12167/12150]]
| [[31213/31212]]
|-
|-
| S49<sup>2</sup>*S50 = [[1225/1224]] * [[2401/2400]]
| S52/S54 = ([[2704/2703]])/([[2916/2915]])
| ([[49/48]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[51/49]])
| ([[55/51]])/([[27/26]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[117649/117504]]
| [[37180/37179]]
|-
|-
| S50<sup>2</sup>*S51 = [[1275/1274]] * [[2500/2499]]
| S66/S68 = ([[4356/4355]])/([[4624/4623]])
| ([[50/49]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[26/25]])
| ([[69/65]])/([[34/33]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[31250/31213]]
| [[75141/75140]]
|-
|-
| S52<sup>2</sup>*S53 = [[1378/1377]] * [[2704/2703]]
| S78/S80 = ([[6084/6083]])/([[6400/6399]])
| ([[52/51]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[27/26]])
| ([[81/77]])/([[40/39]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[70304/70227]]
| [[123201/123200]]
|-
|}
| S55<sup>2</sup>*S56 = [[1540/1539]] * [[3025/3024]]
 
| ([[55/54]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[57/55]])
(Note that while a lot of these have pages, not all of them do, although that doesn't mean they shouldn't. A noticeable streak of commas currently without pages correspond to when dividing a superparticular interval implicates intervals from a higher [[prime limit]], as a surprising amount of 23-limit semiparticulars shown here already have pages.)
| [[166375/166212]]
 
|-
== {{nowrap|S''k''² * S(''k'' + 1)}} and {{nowrap|S(''k'' − 1) * S''k''²}} (lopsided commas) ==
| S56<sup>2</sup>*S57 = [[1596/1595]] * [[3136/3135]]
=== Significance ===
| ([[56/55]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[29/28]])
1. Tempering any two consecutive square-particulars, S''k'' and S(''k'' + 1), implies tempering the two associated lopsided commas as well as the associated [[triangle-particular]] and [[ultraparticular]], so the lopsided commas represent the general form of the highest-damage relations/consequences of doing so.
| [[87808/87725]]
 
2. If a comma (such as the diaschisma, [[2048/2025]]), admits an expression as a lopsided comma, it means that one is likely missing out on tempering opportunities by not also tempering the square-particulars composing it (such as [[256/255|S16]] and [[289/288|S17]] in the case of the diaschisma), often involving expanding the subgroup and adding a number of new equivalence relations (as previously explained) while simultaneously making the temperament more efficient and more precise.
 
3. It is surprising that there are fairly simple general equivalence relations for these S-expressions, essentially being "free" to read off of an S-expression-based comma list, once you know the general form.
 
=== Derivation of equivalence relation ===
Using the clarity of [[S-expression/Advanced results#Using S-factorizations to understand the significance of S-expressions|S-factorizations]], we can show the interval relations implicated by these two new "lopsided" forms, which will make clear the reason for their name:
 
S''k''<sup>2</sup> * S(''k''+1) = [''k''-1, ''k'', ''k''+1, ''k''+2]^(2[-1, 2, -1, 0] + [0, -1, 2, -1] = [-2, 4, -2, 0] + [0, -1, 2, -1] = [-2, 3, 0, -1]) implies:
 
S''k''<sup>2</sup> * S(''k''+1) = (''k''/(''k''-1))<sup>2</sup> / ((''k''+2)/''k'') through [-2, 3, 0, -1] = [-2, 2, 0, 0] - [0, -1, 0, 1].
 
S(''k''-1) * S''k''<sup>2</sup> = [''k''-2, ''k''-1, ''k'', ''k''+1]^([-1, 2, -1, 0] + 2[0, -1, 2, -1] = [-1, 2, -1, 0] + [0, -2, 4, -2] = [-1, 0, 3, -2]) implies:
 
S(''k''-1) * S''k''<sup>2</sup> = (''k''/(''k''-2)) / ((''k''+1)/''k'')<sup>2</sup>  through [-1, 0, 3, -2] = [-1, 0, 1, 0] - [0, 0, -2, 2].
 
=== Tables ===
Below is two tables of [[43-limit]] lopsided commas. First, the "top heavy" lopsided commas, where the squared interval is in the numerator, then the "bottom heavy" lopsided commas, where the squared interval is in the denominator. These tables are so big because these commas are quite large so the more interesting commas appear later. For this reason and for completeness, the tables show up to until a little past the largest known lopsided commas that have their own page: the [[olympia]] and the [[phaotic comma]].
 
==== Top-heavy lopsided commas ====
{| class="wikitable center-all
|-
|-
| S58<sup>2</sup>*S59 = [[1711/1710]] * [[3364/3363]]
! S-expression
| ([[58/57]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[30/29]])
! Square Relation
| [[48778/48735]]
! Ratio
|-
|-
| S63<sup>2</sup>*S64 = [[2016/2015]] * [[3969/3968]]
| S2<sup>2</sup>*S3 = [[3/2]] * [[4/3]]
| ([[63/62]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[65/63]])
| ([[2/1]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[2/1]])
| [[250047/249860]]
| [[2/1]]
|-
|-
| S64<sup>2</sup>*S65 = [[2080/2079]] * [[4096/4095]]
| S3<sup>2</sup>*S4 = [[6/5]] * [[9/8]]
| ([[64/63]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[33/32]])
| ([[3/2]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[5/3]])
| [[131072/130977]]
| [[27/20]]
|-
|-
| S66<sup>2</sup>*S67 = [[2211/2210]] * [[4356/4355]]
| S4<sup>2</sup>*S5 = [[10/9]] * [[16/15]]
| ([[66/65]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[34/33]])
| ([[4/3]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[3/2]])
| [[71874/71825]]
| [[32/27]]
|-
|-
| S70<sup>2</sup>*S71 = [[2485/2484]] * [[4900/4899]]
| S5<sup>2</sup>*S6 = [[15/14]] * [[25/24]]
| ([[70/69]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[36/35]])
| ([[5/4]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[7/5]])
| [[42875/42849]]
| [[125/112]]
|-
|-
| S75<sup>2</sup>*S76 = [[2850/2849]] * [[5625/5624]]
| S6<sup>2</sup>*S7 = [[21/20]] * [[36/35]]
| ([[75/74]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[77/75]])
| ([[6/5]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[4/3]])
| [[421875/421652]]
| [[27/25]]
|-
|-
| S76<sup>2</sup>*S77 = [[2926/2925]] * [[5776/5775]]
| S7<sup>2</sup>*S8 = [[28/27]] * [[49/48]]
| ([[76/75]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[39/38]])
| ([[7/6]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[9/7]])
| [[219488/219375]]
| [[343/324]]
|-
|-
| S78<sup>2</sup>*S79 = [[3081/3080]] * [[6084/6083]]
| S8<sup>2</sup>*S9 = [[36/35]] * [[64/63]]
| ([[78/77]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[40/39]])
| ([[8/7]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[5/4]])
| [[59319/59290]]
| [[256/245]]
|}
 
==== Bottom-heavy lopsided commas ====
{| class="wikitable center-all
|-
|-
! S-expression
| S9<sup>2</sup>*S10 = [[45/44]] * [[81/80]]
! Square Relation
| ([[9/8]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[11/9]])
! Ratio
| [[729/704]]
|-
|-
| S3<sup>2</sup>*S2 = [[3/2]] * [[9/8]]
| S10<sup>2</sup>*S11 = [[55/54]] * [[100/99]]
| ([[3/1]]) / ([[4/3]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[10/9]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[6/5]])
| [[27/16]]
| [[250/243]]
|-
|-
| S4<sup>2</sup>*S3 = [[6/5]] * [[16/15]]
| S11<sup>2</sup>*S12 = [[66/65]] * [[121/120]]
| ([[2/1]]) / ([[5/4]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[11/10]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[13/11]])
| [[32/25]]
| [[1331/1300]]
|-
|-
| S5<sup>2</sup>*S4 = [[10/9]] * [[25/24]]
| S12<sup>2</sup>*S13 = [[78/77]] * [[144/143]]
| ([[5/3]]) / ([[6/5]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[12/11]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[7/6]])
| [[125/108]]
| [[864/847]]
|-
|-
| S6<sup>2</sup>*S5 = [[15/14]] * [[36/35]]
| S13<sup>2</sup>*S14 = [[91/90]] * [[169/168]]
| ([[3/2]]) / ([[7/6]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[13/12]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[15/13]])
| [[54/49]]
| [[2197/2160]]
|-
|-
| S7<sup>2</sup>*S6 = [[21/20]] * [[49/48]]
| S14<sup>2</sup>*S15 = [[105/104]] * [[196/195]]
| ([[7/5]]) / ([[8/7]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[14/13]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[8/7]])
| [[343/320]]
| [[343/338]]
|-
|-
| S8<sup>2</sup>*S7 = [[28/27]] * [[64/63]]
| S15<sup>2</sup>*S16 = [[120/119]] * [[225/224]]
| ([[4/3]]) / ([[9/8]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[15/14]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[17/15]])
| [[256/243]]
| [[3375/3332]]
|-
|-
| S9<sup>2</sup>*S8 = [[36/35]] * [[81/80]]
| S16<sup>2</sup>*S17 = [[136/135]] * [[256/255]]
| ([[9/7]]) / ([[10/9]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[16/15]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[9/8]])
| [[729/700]]
| [[2048/2025]]
|-
|-
| S10<sup>2</sup>*S9 = [[45/44]] * [[100/99]]
| S17<sup>2</sup>*S18 = [[153/152]] * [[289/288]]
| ([[5/4]]) / ([[11/10]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[17/16]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[19/17]])
| [[125/121]]
| [[4913/4864]]
|-
|-
| S11<sup>2</sup>*S10 = [[55/54]] * [[121/120]]
| S18<sup>2</sup>*S19 = [[171/170]] * [[324/323]]
| ([[11/9]]) / ([[12/11]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[18/17]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[10/9]])
| [[1331/1296]]
| [[1458/1445]]
|-
|-
| S12<sup>2</sup>*S11 = [[66/65]] * [[144/143]]
| S19<sup>2</sup>*S20 = [[190/189]] * [[361/360]]
| ([[6/5]]) / ([[13/12]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[19/18]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[21/19]])
| [[864/845]]
| [[6859/6804]]
|-
|-
| S13<sup>2</sup>*S12 = [[78/77]] * [[169/168]]
| S20<sup>2</sup>*S21 = [[210/209]] * [[400/399]]
| ([[13/11]]) / ([[14/13]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[20/19]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[11/10]])
| [[2197/2156]]
| [[4000/3971]]
|-
|-
| S14<sup>2</sup>*S13 = [[91/90]] * [[196/195]]
| S21<sup>2</sup>*S22 = [[231/230]] * [[441/440]]
| ([[7/6]]) / ([[15/14]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[21/20]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[23/21]])
| [[686/675]]
| [[9261/9200]]
|-
|-
| S15<sup>2</sup>*S14 = [[105/104]] * [[225/224]]
| S22<sup>2</sup>*S23 = [[253/252]] * [[484/483]]
| ([[15/13]]) / ([[16/15]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[22/21]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[12/11]])
| [[3375/3328]]
| [[1331/1323]]
|-
|-
| S16<sup>2</sup>*S15 = [[120/119]] * [[256/255]]
| S23<sup>2</sup>*S24 = [[276/275]] * [[529/528]]
| ([[8/7]]) / ([[17/16]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[23/22]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[25/23]])
| [[2048/2023]]
| [[12167/12100]]
|-
|-
| S17<sup>2</sup>*S16 = [[136/135]] * [[289/288]]
| S24<sup>2</sup>*S25 = [[300/299]] * [[576/575]]
| ([[17/15]]) / ([[18/17]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[24/23]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[13/12]])
| [[4913/4860]]
| [[6912/6877]]
|-
|-
| S18<sup>2</sup>*S17 = [[153/152]] * [[324/323]]
| S25<sup>2</sup>*S26 = [[325/324]] * [[625/624]]
| ([[9/8]]) / ([[19/18]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[25/24]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[27/25]])
| [[729/722]]
| [[15625/15552]]
|-
|-
| S19<sup>2</sup>*S18 = [[171/170]] * [[361/360]]
| S26<sup>2</sup>*S27 = [[351/350]] * [[676/675]]
| ([[19/17]]) / ([[20/19]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[26/25]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[14/13]])
| [[6859/6800]]
| [[4394/4375]]
|-
|-
| S20<sup>2</sup>*S19 = [[190/189]] * [[400/399]]
| S27<sup>2</sup>*S28 = [[378/377]] * [[729/728]]
| ([[10/9]]) / ([[21/20]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[27/26]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[29/27]])
| [[4000/3969]]
| [[19683/19604]]
|-
|-
| S21<sup>2</sup>*S20 = [[210/209]] * [[441/440]]
| S28<sup>2</sup>*S29 = [[406/405]] * [[784/783]]
| ([[21/19]]) / ([[22/21]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[28/27]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[15/14]])
| [[9261/9196]]
| [[10976/10935]]
|-
|-
| S22<sup>2</sup>*S21 = [[231/230]] * [[484/483]]
| S29<sup>2</sup>*S30 = [[435/434]] * [[841/840]]
| ([[11/10]]) / ([[23/22]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[29/28]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[31/29]])
| [[2662/2645]]
| [[24389/24304]]
|-
|-
| S23<sup>2</sup>*S22 = [[253/252]] * [[529/528]]
| S30<sup>2</sup>*S31 = [[465/464]] * [[900/899]]
| ([[23/21]]) / ([[24/23]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[30/29]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[16/15]])
| [[12167/12096]]
| [[3375/3364]]
|-
|-
| S24<sup>2</sup>*S23 = [[276/275]] * [[576/575]]
| S31<sup>2</sup>*S32 = [[496/495]] * [[961/960]]
| ([[12/11]]) / ([[25/24]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[31/30]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[33/31]])
| [[6912/6875]]
| [[29791/29700]]
|-
|-
| S25<sup>2</sup>*S24 = [[300/299]] * [[625/624]]
| S32<sup>2</sup>*S33 = [[528/527]] * [[1024/1023]]
| ([[25/23]]) / ([[26/25]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[32/31]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[17/16]])
| [[15625/15548]]
| [[16384/16337]]
|-
|-
| S26<sup>2</sup>*S25 = [[325/324]] * [[676/675]]
| S33<sup>2</sup>*S34 = [[561/560]] * [[1089/1088]]
| ([[13/12]]) / ([[27/26]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[33/32]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[35/33]])
| [[2197/2187]]
| [[35937/35840]]
|-
|-
| S27<sup>2</sup>*S26 = [[351/350]] * [[729/728]]
| S34<sup>2</sup>*S35 = [[595/594]] * [[1156/1155]]
| ([[27/25]]) / ([[28/27]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[34/33]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[18/17]])
| [[19683/19600]]
| [[9826/9801]]
|-
|-
| S28<sup>2</sup>*S27 = [[378/377]] * [[784/783]]
| S35<sup>2</sup>*S36 = [[630/629]] * [[1225/1224]]
| ([[14/13]]) / ([[29/28]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[35/34]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[37/35]])
| [[10976/10933]]
| [[42875/42772]]
|-
|-
| S29<sup>2</sup>*S28 = [[406/405]] * [[841/840]]
| S36<sup>2</sup>*S37 = [[666/665]] * [[1296/1295]]
| ([[29/27]]) / ([[30/29]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[36/35]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[19/18]])
| [[24389/24300]]
| [[23328/23275]]
|-
|-
| S30<sup>2</sup>*S29 = [[435/434]] * [[900/899]]
| S37<sup>2</sup>*S38 = [[703/702]] * [[1369/1368]]
| ([[15/14]]) / ([[31/30]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[37/36]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[39/37]])
| [[6750/6727]]
| [[50653/50544]]
|-
|-
| S31<sup>2</sup>*S30 = [[465/464]] * [[961/960]]
| S38<sup>2</sup>*S39 = [[741/740]] * [[1444/1443]]
| ([[31/29]]) / ([[32/31]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[38/37]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[20/19]])
| [[29791/29696]]
| [[6859/6845]]
|-
|-
| S32<sup>2</sup>*S31 = [[496/495]] * [[1024/1023]]
| S39<sup>2</sup>*S40 = [[780/779]] * [[1521/1520]]
| ([[16/15]]) / ([[33/32]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[39/38]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[41/39]])
| [[16384/16335]]
| [[59319/59204]]
|-
|-
| S33<sup>2</sup>*S32 = [[528/527]] * [[1089/1088]]
| S40<sup>2</sup>*S41 = [[820/819]] * [[1600/1599]]
| ([[33/31]]) / ([[34/33]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[40/39]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[21/20]])
| [[35937/35836]]
| [[32000/31941]]
|-
|-
| S34<sup>2</sup>*S33 = [[561/560]] * [[1156/1155]]
| S41<sup>2</sup>*S42 = [[861/860]] * [[1681/1680]]
| ([[17/16]]) / ([[35/34]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[41/40]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[43/41]])
| [[4913/4900]]
| [[68921/68800]]
|-
|-
| S35<sup>2</sup>*S34 = [[595/594]] * [[1225/1224]]
| S42<sup>2</sup>*S43 = [[903/902]] * [[1764/1763]]
| ([[35/33]]) / ([[36/35]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[42/41]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[22/21]])
| [[42875/42768]]
| [[18522/18491]]
|-
|-
| S36<sup>2</sup>*S35 = [[630/629]] * [[1296/1295]]
| S43<sup>2</sup>*S44 = [[946/945]] * [[1849/1848]]
| ([[18/17]]) / ([[37/36]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[43/42]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[45/43]])
| [[23328/23273]]
| [[79507/79380]]
|-
|-
| S37<sup>2</sup>*S36 = [[666/665]] * [[1369/1368]]
| S44<sup>2</sup>*S45 = [[990/989]] * [[1936/1935]]
| ([[37/35]]) / ([[38/37]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[44/43]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[23/22]])
| [[50653/50540]]
| [[42592/42527]]
|-
|-
| S38<sup>2</sup>*S37 = [[703/702]] * [[1444/1443]]
| S46<sup>2</sup>*S47 = [[1081/1080]] * [[2116/2115]]
| ([[19/18]]) / ([[39/38]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[46/45]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[24/23]])
| [[13718/13689]]
| [[12167/12150]]
|-
|-
| S39<sup>2</sup>*S38 = [[741/740]] * [[1521/1520]]
| S49<sup>2</sup>*S50 = [[1225/1224]] * [[2401/2400]]
| ([[39/37]]) / ([[40/39]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[49/48]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[51/49]])
| [[59319/59200]]
| [[117649/117504]]
|-
|-
| S40<sup>2</sup>*S39 = [[780/779]] * [[1600/1599]]
| S50<sup>2</sup>*S51 = [[1275/1274]] * [[2500/2499]]
| ([[20/19]]) / ([[41/40]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[50/49]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[26/25]])
| [[32000/31939]]
| [[31250/31213]]
|-
|-
| S41<sup>2</sup>*S40 = [[820/819]] * [[1681/1680]]
| S52<sup>2</sup>*S53 = [[1378/1377]] * [[2704/2703]]
| ([[41/39]]) / ([[42/41]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[52/51]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[27/26]])
| [[68921/68796]]
| [[70304/70227]]
|-
|-
| S42<sup>2</sup>*S41 = [[861/860]] * [[1764/1763]]
| S55<sup>2</sup>*S56 = [[1540/1539]] * [[3025/3024]]
| ([[21/20]]) / ([[43/42]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[55/54]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[57/55]])
| [[9261/9245]]
| [[166375/166212]]
|-
|-
| S43<sup>2</sup>*S42 = [[903/902]] * [[1849/1848]]
| S56<sup>2</sup>*S57 = [[1596/1595]] * [[3136/3135]]
| ([[43/41]]) / ([[44/43]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[56/55]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[29/28]])
| [[79507/79376]]
| [[87808/87725]]
|-
|-
| S44<sup>2</sup>*S43 = [[946/945]] * [[1936/1935]]
| S58<sup>2</sup>*S59 = [[1711/1710]] * [[3364/3363]]
| ([[22/21]]) / ([[45/44]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[58/57]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[30/29]])
| [[42592/42525]]
| [[48778/48735]]
|-
|-
| S45<sup>2</sup>*S44 = [[990/989]] * [[2025/2024]]
| S63<sup>2</sup>*S64 = [[2016/2015]] * [[3969/3968]]
| ([[45/43]]) / ([[46/45]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[63/62]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[65/63]])
| [[91125/90988]]
| [[250047/249860]]
|-
|-
| S48<sup>2</sup>*S47 = [[1128/1127]] * [[2304/2303]]
| S64<sup>2</sup>*S65 = [[2080/2079]] * [[4096/4095]]
| ([[24/23]]) / ([[49/48]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[64/63]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[33/32]])
| [[55296/55223]]
| [[131072/130977]]
|-
|-
| S50<sup>2</sup>*S49 = [[1225/1224]] * [[2500/2499]]
| S66<sup>2</sup>*S67 = [[2211/2210]] * [[4356/4355]]
| ([[25/24]]) / ([[51/50]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[66/65]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[34/33]])
| [[15625/15606]]
| [[71874/71825]]
|-
|-
| S51<sup>2</sup>*S50 = [[1275/1274]] * [[2601/2600]]
| S70<sup>2</sup>*S71 = [[2485/2484]] * [[4900/4899]]
| ([[51/49]]) / ([[52/51]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[70/69]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[36/35]])
| [[132651/132496]]
| [[42875/42849]]
|-
|-
| S54<sup>2</sup>*S53 = [[1431/1430]] * [[2916/2915]]
| S75<sup>2</sup>*S76 = [[2850/2849]] * [[5625/5624]]
| ([[27/26]]) / ([[55/54]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[75/74]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[77/75]])
| [[39366/39325]]
| [[421875/421652]]
|-
|-
| S56<sup>2</sup>*S55 = [[1540/1539]] * [[3136/3135]]
| S76<sup>2</sup>*S77 = [[2926/2925]] * [[5776/5775]]
| ([[28/27]]) / ([[57/56]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[76/75]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[39/38]])
| [[87808/87723]]
| [[219488/219375]]
|-
|-
| S57<sup>2</sup>*S56 = [[1596/1595]] * [[3249/3248]]
| S78<sup>2</sup>*S79 = [[3081/3080]] * [[6084/6083]]
| ([[57/55]]) / ([[58/57]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[78/77]])<sup>2</sup> / ([[40/39]])
| [[185193/185020]]
| [[59319/59290]]
|}
 
==== Bottom-heavy lopsided commas ====
{| class="wikitable center-all
|-
|-
| S62<sup>2</sup>*S61 = [[1891/1890]] * [[3844/3843]]
! S-expression
| ([[31/30]]) / ([[63/62]])<sup>2</sup>
! Square Relation
| [[59582/59535]]
! Ratio
|-
|-
| S64<sup>2</sup>*S63 = [[2016/2015]] * [[4096/4095]]
| S3<sup>2</sup>*S2 = [[3/2]] * [[9/8]]
| ([[32/31]]) / ([[65/64]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[3/1]]) / ([[4/3]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[131072/130975]]
| [[27/16]]
|-
|-
| S65<sup>2</sup>*S64 = [[2080/2079]] * [[4225/4224]]
| S4<sup>2</sup>*S3 = [[6/5]] * [[16/15]]
| ([[65/63]]) / ([[66/65]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[2/1]]) / ([[5/4]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[274625/274428]]
| [[32/25]]
|-
|-
| S68<sup>2</sup>*S67 = [[2278/2277]] * [[4624/4623]]
| S5<sup>2</sup>*S4 = [[10/9]] * [[25/24]]
| ([[34/33]]) / ([[69/68]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[5/3]]) / ([[6/5]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[157216/157113]]
| [[125/108]]
|-
|-
| S74<sup>2</sup>*S73 = [[2701/2700]] * [[5476/5475]]
| S6<sup>2</sup>*S5 = [[15/14]] * [[36/35]]
| ([[37/36]]) / ([[75/74]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[3/2]]) / ([[7/6]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[50653/50625]]
| [[54/49]]
|-
|-
| S76<sup>2</sup>*S75 = [[2850/2849]] * [[5776/5775]]
| S7<sup>2</sup>*S6 = [[21/20]] * [[49/48]]
| ([[38/37]]) / ([[77/76]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[7/5]]) / ([[8/7]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[219488/219373]]
| [[343/320]]
|-
|-
| S77<sup>2</sup>*S76 = [[2926/2925]] * [[5929/5928]]
| S8<sup>2</sup>*S7 = [[28/27]] * [[64/63]]
| ([[77/75]]) / ([[78/77]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[4/3]]) / ([[9/8]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[456533/456300]]
| [[256/243]]
|-
|-
| S80<sup>2</sup>*S79 = [[3160/3159]] * [[6400/6399]]
| S9<sup>2</sup>*S8 = [[36/35]] * [[81/80]]
| ([[40/39]]) / ([[81/80]])<sup>2</sup>
| ([[9/7]]) / ([[10/9]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[256000/255879]]
| [[729/700]]
|}
 
== Equivalent S-expressions ==
=== Significance and meaning ===
All S-expressions have other equivalent S-expressions, however when the equivalence makes one comma a member of two of the infinite families discussed on this page, or otherwise makes it equal to a product or ratio between two such commas, this basically always means exceptional and nontrivial ("deep") tempering opportunities, usually leading to multiple of the most elegant and efficient temperaments that we know of depending how you temper further. Generally we exclude 1/n-square-particulars, only noting up to 1/3-square-particulars, because equivalent 1/n-square-particular expressions become very common as you allow higher n, but are still quite rare for small n.
 
=== Examples ===
Here is an incomplete list of examples (feel free to expand with any equivalences you find that you think are valuable):
 
{| class="wikitable center-all
|-
|-
! Comma
| S10<sup>2</sup>*S9 = [[45/44]] * [[100/99]]
! S-expressions
| ([[5/4]]) / ([[11/10]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[125/121]]
|-
|-
| [[25/24]]
| S11<sup>2</sup>*S10 = [[55/54]] * [[121/120]]
| S2/(S3*S4<sup>2</sup>) = S5
| ([[11/9]]) / ([[12/11]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[1331/1296]]
|-
|-
| [[49/48]]
| S12<sup>2</sup>*S11 = [[66/65]] * [[144/143]]
| S3/(S5*S6<sup>2</sup>) = S7
| ([[6/5]]) / ([[13/12]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[864/845]]
|-
|-
| [[64/63]]
| S13<sup>2</sup>*S12 = [[78/77]] * [[169/168]]
| (S4*S5*S6)/S3 = S4/(S6*S7) = S8
| ([[13/11]]) / ([[14/13]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[2197/2156]]
|-
|-
| [[81/80]]
| S14<sup>2</sup>*S13 = [[91/90]] * [[196/195]]
| S6/S8 = S9
| ([[7/6]]) / ([[15/14]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[686/675]]
|-
|-
| [[176/175]]
| S15<sup>2</sup>*S14 = [[105/104]] * [[225/224]]
| S8/S10 = S22*S23*S24
| ([[15/13]]) / ([[16/15]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[3375/3328]]
|-
|-
| [[243/242]]
| S16<sup>2</sup>*S15 = [[120/119]] * [[256/255]]
| S9/S11 = S15/([[3025/3024|S22/S24 = S55]])
| ([[8/7]]) / ([[17/16]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[2048/2023]]
|-
|-
| [[325/324]]
| S17<sup>2</sup>*S16 = [[136/135]] * [[289/288]]
| S10/S12 = S25*S26
| ([[17/15]]) / ([[18/17]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[4913/4860]]
|-
|-
| [[676/675]]
| S18<sup>2</sup>*S17 = [[153/152]] * [[324/323]]
| S13/S15 = S26
| ([[9/8]]) / ([[19/18]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[729/722]]
|-
|-
| [[1225/1224]]
| S19<sup>2</sup>*S18 = [[171/170]] * [[361/360]]
| S35 = S49*S50
| ([[19/17]]) / ([[20/19]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[6859/6800]]
|-
| S20<sup>2</sup>*S19 = [[190/189]] * [[400/399]]
| ([[10/9]]) / ([[21/20]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[4000/3969]]
|-
| S21<sup>2</sup>*S20 = [[210/209]] * [[441/440]]
| ([[21/19]]) / ([[22/21]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[9261/9196]]
|-
|-
| [[3025/3024]]
| S22<sup>2</sup>*S21 = [[231/230]] * [[484/483]]
| S22/S24 = S55 = S25/S27 * S99
| ([[11/10]]) / ([[23/22]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[2662/2645]]
|-
|-
| [[2601/2600]]
| S23<sup>2</sup>*S22 = [[253/252]] * [[529/528]]
| S17/(S25*S26) = S51
| ([[23/21]]) / ([[24/23]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[12167/12096]]
|-
|-
| [[9801/9800]]
| S24<sup>2</sup>*S23 = [[276/275]] * [[576/575]]
| S99 = S33/S35
| ([[12/11]]) / ([[25/24]])<sup>2</sup>
| [[6912/6875]]
|-
|-
| [[123201/123200]]
| S25<sup>2</sup>*S24 = [[300/299]] * [[625/624]]
| S351 = S78/S80
| ([[25/23]]) / ([[26/25]])<sup>2</sup>
|}
| [[15625/15548]]
 
|-
Note: Where a comma written in the form a/b is used in an S-expression, this means to replace that comma with any equivalent S-expression. This is done in the case of [[3025/3024]] as there are many S-expressions for it so restating them each time it appears seems inconvenient.
| S26<sup>2</sup>*S25 = [[325/324]] * [[676/675]]
 
| ([[13/12]]) / ([[27/26]])<sup>2</sup>
A proof that every positive rational number (and thus every JI interval) can be written as an S-expression follows.
| [[2197/2187]]
 
|-
It suffices to show every superparticular number including 2/1 has an expression using square-particulars:
| S27<sup>2</sup>*S26 = [[351/350]] * [[729/728]]
 
| ([[27/25]]) / ([[28/27]])<sup>2</sup>
<math>
| [[19683/19600]]
\small 2/1 = S_2 \cdot S_2 \cdot S_3\ ,\\
|-
\small 3/2 = S_2 \cdot S_3\ ,\\
| S28<sup>2</sup>*S27 = [[378/377]] * [[784/783]]
\small 4/3 = S_2\ ,\\
| ([[14/13]]) / ([[29/28]])<sup>2</sup>
\normalsize \frac{a/(a-1)}{(b+1)/b} = \prod_{k=a}^b \left( S_k = \frac{k/(k-1)}{(k+1)/k} \right) \\
| [[10976/10933]]
\ \ \ = \frac{a/(a-1)}{(a+1)/a} \cdot \frac{(a+1)/a}{(a+2)/(a+1)} \cdot \frac{(a+2)/(a+1)}{(a+3)/(a+2)} \cdot\ ...\ \cdot \frac{b/(b-1)}{(b+1)/b} = \frac{a/(a-1)}{(b+1)/b} \\
|-
\implies \frac{a/(a-1)}{(b+1)/b} = S_a \cdot S_{a+1} \cdot S_{a+2} \cdot\ ...\ \cdot S_b \\
| S29<sup>2</sup>*S28 = [[406/405]] * [[841/840]]
\implies \frac{S_2 \cdot S_2 \cdot S_3}{\prod_{a=2}^k S_a} = 2\cdot\left( \frac{2/(2-1)}{(k+1)/k} \right)^{-1} = 2\cdot\left( \frac{(k+1)/k}{2} \right) = (k+1)/k
| ([[29/27]]) / ([[30/29]])<sup>2</sup>
</math>
| [[24389/24300]]
 
|-
From here it should not be hard to see how to make any positive rational number. For 11/6, for example, we can do (11/10)(10/9)(9/8)...(2/1) = 11 and then divide that by (6/5)(5/4)(4/3)(3/2)(2/1), meaning 11/6 = (11/10)(10/9)(9/8)(8/7)(7/6) because of the cancellations, then each of those superparticulars we replace with the corresponding S-expression to get the final S-expression. This final S-expression is likely to be far from the most efficient or interesting expression; the redundancy in S-expressions is a strength and feature; it tells us that there are more than the trivial connections between commas and intervals and that S-expressions can be wielded as a mathematical tool/language to investigate and identify them.
| S30<sup>2</sup>*S29 = [[435/434]] * [[900/899]]
 
| ([[15/14]]) / ([[31/30]])<sup>2</sup>
== Glossary ==
| [[6750/6727]]
 
|-
; Superparticular
| S31<sup>2</sup>*S30 = [[465/464]] * [[961/960]]
: The interval/comma between two consecutive harmonics. See [[superparticular]].
| ([[31/29]]) / ([[32/31]])<sup>2</sup>
: These are of the form (''k'' + 1)/''k''.
| [[29791/29696]]
 
|-
; Square-particular
| S32<sup>2</sup>*S31 = [[496/495]] * [[1024/1023]]
: A superparticular interval/comma whose numerator is a square number. A shorthand (nick)name for square superparticular.
| ([[16/15]]) / ([[33/32]])<sup>2</sup>
: These are of the form ''k''<sup>2</sup>/(''k''<sup>2</sup> - 1) = S''k''.
| [[16384/16335]]
 
|-
; Triangle-particular
| S33<sup>2</sup>*S32 = [[528/527]] * [[1089/1088]]
: A superparticular interval/comma whose numerator is a [[triangular number]]. A shorthand (nick)name for triangular superparticular. An alternative name for 1/2-square-particular.
| ([[33/31]]) / ([[34/33]])<sup>2</sup>
: These are of the form (''k''<sup>2</sup> + k)/(''k''<sup>2</sup> + k - 2). (This always simplifies to a superparticular.)
| [[35937/35836]]
 
|-
; 1/''n''-square-particular
| S34<sup>2</sup>*S33 = [[561/560]] * [[1156/1155]]
: A comma which is the product of ''n'' consecutive square-particulars and which can therefore be expressed as the ratio between two superparticulars.
| ([[17/16]]) / ([[35/34]])<sup>2</sup>
: These are of the form S''a''*S(''a''+1)*...*S''b'' = (''a''/(''a'' - 1))/((''b'' + 1)/''b'') = ''ab''/((''a'' - 1)(''b'' + 1)).
| [[4913/4900]]
: Replacing/substituting ''a'' with ''k'' and ''b'' with ''k'' + ''n'' - 1 gives us an equivalent expression that includes the number of square-particulars ''n'':
|-
: S''k''*S(''k''+1)*...*S(''k''+''n''-1) = (''k''/(''k'' - 1))/((''k'' + ''n'')/(''k'' + ''n'' - 1)) = ''k''(''k'' + ''n'' - 1)/((''k'' - 1)(''k'' + ''n''))
| S35<sup>2</sup>*S34 = [[595/594]] * [[1225/1224]]
: For ''b'' = ''a'' + 1 these can also be called triangle-particulars, in which case they are always superparticular.
| ([[35/33]]) / ([[36/35]])<sup>2</sup>
: These have implications for whether consistency in the (''n''+''k'')=(''b''+1)-[[odd-limit]] is ''potentially'' possible in a given temperament; see the [[#Sk*S(k + 1)*...*S(k + n - 1) (1/n-square-particulars)|section on 1/n-square-particulars]].
| [[42875/42768]]
 
|-
; Odd-particular
| S36<sup>2</sup>*S35 = [[630/629]] * [[1296/1295]]
: An interval/comma between two consecutive odd harmonics. The odd analogue of superparticular.
| ([[18/17]]) / ([[37/36]])<sup>2</sup>
: These are of the form (2''k'' + 1)/(2''k'' - 1).
| [[23328/23273]]
 
|-
; Throdd-particular
| S37<sup>2</sup>*S36 = [[666/665]] * [[1369/1368]]
: An interval/comma between two harmonics 3 apart which is not superparticular.
| ([[37/35]]) / ([[38/37]])<sup>2</sup>
: These are of the form (3''k'' + 1)/(3''k'' - 2) or (3''k'' + 2)/(3''k'' - 1).
| [[50653/50540]]
 
|-
; Quodd-particular
| S38<sup>2</sup>*S37 = [[703/702]] * [[1444/1443]]
: An interval/comma between two harmonics 4 apart which is not superparticular or odd-particular.
| ([[19/18]]) / ([[39/38]])<sup>2</sup>
: These are of the form (4''k'' + 1)/(4''k'' - 3) or (4''k'' + 3)/(4''k'' - 1).
| [[13718/13689]]
 
|-
; ''n''-odd-particular
| S39<sup>2</sup>*S38 = [[741/740]] * [[1521/1520]]
: An interval/comma between two coprime harmonics ''n'' apart. The generalization of superparticular, odd-particular, throdd-particular, and quodd-particular.
| ([[39/37]]) / ([[40/39]])<sup>2</sup>
: If ''n'' is a prime, an ''n''-odd-particular interval is between two harmonics ''n'' apart which is not superparticular. For example, 5-odd-particular intervals are of the form (5''k'' + 1)/(5''k'' - 4), (5''k'' + 2)/(5''k'' - 3), (5''k'' + 3)/(5''k'' - 2) or (5''k'' + 4)/(5''k'' - 1).
| [[59319/59200]]
: If ''n'' is a composite, an ''n''-odd-particular interval is between two harmonics ''n'' apart which is neither superparticular nor of ''m''-odd-particular intervals where ''m'' is any other divisor of ''n''. For example, 6-odd-particular intervals are of the form (6''k'' + 1)/(6''k'' - 5) or (6''k'' + 5)/(6''k'' - 1).
|-
 
| S40<sup>2</sup>*S39 = [[780/779]] * [[1600/1599]]
; Ultraparticular
| ([[20/19]]) / ([[41/40]])<sup>2</sup>
: An interval/comma which is the ratio of two consecutive square-particulars.
| [[32000/31939]]
: These are of the form S''k''/S(''k'' + 1).
|-
 
| S41<sup>2</sup>*S40 = [[820/819]] * [[1681/1680]]
; Semiparticular
| ([[41/39]]) / ([[42/41]])<sup>2</sup>
: A superparticular or odd-particular interval/comma which is the ratio between two adjacent-to-adjacent square-particulars, which is to say:
| [[68921/68796]]
: These are of the form S''k''/S(''k'' + 2).
|-
 
| S42<sup>2</sup>*S41 = [[861/860]] * [[1764/1763]]
; S-expression
| ([[21/20]]) / ([[43/42]])<sup>2</sup>
: An expression using the S''k'' shorthand notation corresponding strictly to multiplying and dividing only (arbitrary) square-particulars. S-expressions include singular square superparticulars and expressions for other superparticulars in terms of square superparticulars.
| [[9261/9245]]
 
|-
; S-factorization
| S43<sup>2</sup>*S42 = [[903/902]] * [[1849/1848]]
: An expression that takes a list of consecutive integer harmonics including the ''k''th harmonic and raises them to integer powers, similar to a [[smonzo]] but uniquely suited to analysing S-expressions.
| ([[43/41]]) / ([[44/43]])<sup>2</sup>
: For example: S''k'' = [''k''-1, ''k'', ''k''+1]^[-1, 2, -1] because S''k'' = (''k''-1)<sup>-1</sup>''k''<sup>2</sup>(''k''+1)<sup>-1</sup>.
| [[79507/79376]]
 
|-
; S-comma
| S44<sup>2</sup>*S43 = [[946/945]] * [[1936/1935]]
: Any comma within one of the infinite families of commas discussed here, excluding 1/n-square-particulars for n>5 (so square-particulars, triangle-particulars, 1/3-square-particulars, 1/4-square-particulars and 1/5-square-particulars are included, but not anything beyond; this bound is used for exclusion (rather than n>3) to allow the utility of 1/5-square-particulars in avoiding twin primes by equating superparticular intervals on either side of the twin primes).
| ([[22/21]]) / ([[45/44]])<sup>2</sup>
 
| [[42592/42525]]
; Indirect S-comma
|-
: Any comma that is the product or ratio of two S-commas. These appear frequently as S-expressions for commas that are more challenging/nontrivial to represent from the perspective of S-expressions, for example the [[schisma]] admits at least three such representations!
| S45<sup>2</sup>*S44 = [[990/989]] * [[2025/2024]]
 
| ([[45/43]]) / ([[46/45]])<sup>2</sup>
== Mathematical derivation ==
| [[91125/90988]]
 
|-
(Note for readers: Familiarity with basic algebra is advised, especially the rules (''a'' + ''b'')(''a'' - ''b'') = ''a''<sup>2</sup> - ''b''<sup>2</sup> and 1/(''a''/''b'') = ''b''/''a''. Often multiple steps are combined into a single step for brevity, so follow carefully.)
| S48<sup>2</sup>*S47 = [[1128/1127]] * [[2304/2303]]
 
| ([[24/23]]) / ([[49/48]])<sup>2</sup>
For ultraparticulars, we want to show that S''k''/S(''k'' + 1) = ((''k'' + 2)/(''k'' - 1)) / ((''k'' + 1)/''k'')<sup>3</sup>:
| [[55296/55223]]
 
|-
<math>
| S50<sup>2</sup>*S49 = [[1225/1224]] * [[2500/2499]]
\begin {align}
| ([[25/24]]) / ([[51/50]])<sup>2</sup>
{\rm S}k/{\rm S}(k + 1) &= \frac {k^2/(k^2 - 1)}{(k + 1)^2 / ((k + 1)^2 - 1)} \\
| [[15625/15606]]
&= \frac {k^2}{(k + 1)(k - 1)} \cdot \frac{k^2 + 2k}{(k + 1)^2} \\
|-
&= \frac {k^2}{(k + 1)^3 (k - 1)} \cdot (k + 2)k \\
| S51<sup>2</sup>*S50 = [[1275/1274]] * [[2601/2600]]
&= \frac {k^3}{(k + 1)^3} \cdot \frac{(k + 2)}{(k - 1)} \\
| ([[51/49]]) / ([[52/51]])<sup>2</sup>
&= \frac {(k + 2)/(k - 1)}{((k + 1)/k)^3}
| [[132651/132496]]
\end {align}
|-
</math>
| S54<sup>2</sup>*S53 = [[1431/1430]] * [[2916/2915]]
 
| ([[27/26]]) / ([[55/54]])<sup>2</sup>
For semiparticulars, we want to show that S''k''/S(''k'' + 2) = ((''k'' + 3)/(''k'' - 1)) / ((''k'' + 2)/''k'')<sup>2</sup>:
| [[39366/39325]]
 
|-
<math>
| S56<sup>2</sup>*S55 = [[1540/1539]] * [[3136/3135]]
\begin {align}
| ([[28/27]]) / ([[57/56]])<sup>2</sup>
{\rm S}k/{\rm S}(k + 2) &= \frac {k^2/(k^2 - 1)}{(k + 2)^2 / ((k + 2)^2 - 1)} \\
| [[87808/87723]]
&= \frac {k^2}{(k + 1)(k - 1)} \cdot \frac{(k + 3)(k + 1)}{(k + 2)^2} \\
|-
&= \frac {k^2}{k - 1} \cdot \frac {k + 3}{(k + 2)^2} \\
| S57<sup>2</sup>*S56 = [[1596/1595]] * [[3249/3248]]
&= \frac {k + 3}{k - 1} \cdot \frac{k^2}{(k + 2)^2} \\
| ([[57/55]]) / ([[58/57]])<sup>2</sup>
&= \frac {(k + 3)/(k - 1)}{((k + 2)/k)^2}
| [[185193/185020]]
\end {align}
|-
</math>
| S62<sup>2</sup>*S61 = [[1891/1890]] * [[3844/3843]]
 
| ([[31/30]]) / ([[63/62]])<sup>2</sup>
For semiparticulars, we also want to show that S''k''/S(''k'' + 2) is superparticular for all but the case of S(4''n'' - 1)/S(4''n'' + 1) which is odd-particular:
| [[59582/59535]]
 
|-
<math>
| S64<sup>2</sup>*S63 = [[2016/2015]] * [[4096/4095]]
\begin {align}
| ([[32/31]]) / ([[65/64]])<sup>2</sup>
{\rm S}k/{\rm S}(k + 2) &= \frac {k + 3}{k - 1} \cdot \frac{k^2}{(k + 2)^2} \\
| [[131072/130975]]
&= \frac {k^3 + 3k^2}{(k - 1)(k^2 + 4k + 4)} \\
|-
&= \frac {k^3 + 3k^2}{k^3 + 4k^2 + 4k - k^2 - 4k - 4} \\
| S65<sup>2</sup>*S64 = [[2080/2079]] * [[4225/4224]]
&= \frac {k^3 + 3k^2}{k^3 + 3k^2 - 4}
| ([[65/63]]) / ([[66/65]])<sup>2</sup>
\end {align}
| [[274625/274428]]
</math>
|-
 
| S68<sup>2</sup>*S67 = [[2278/2277]] * [[4624/4623]]
This result will be useful, so we will refer to it as '''[Eq. 1]''': S''k''/S(''k'' + 2) = (k<sup>3</sup> + 3k<sup>2</sup>)/(k<sup>3</sup> + 3k<sup>2</sup> - 4)
| ([[34/33]]) / ([[69/68]])<sup>2</sup>
 
| [[157216/157113]]
: Note that when ''k'' = 2''n'' in [Eq. 1], everything in the numerator and denominator is divisible by 4 because the only instances of ''k'' have it raised to a power of 2 or greater meaning there will be a factor of (2''n'')<sup>2</sup> = 4''n''<sup>2</sup>, therefore S''k''/S(''k'' + 2) is superparticular when ''k'' is even.
|-
 
| S74<sup>2</sup>*S73 = [[2701/2700]] * [[5476/5475]]
: When ''k'' = 4''n'' + 1 in [Eq. 1], we have to do some extra work to show the result is superparticular:
| ([[37/36]]) / ([[75/74]])<sup>2</sup>
 
| [[50653/50625]]
: (4''n'' + 1)<sup>3</sup> = (4''n'')<sup>3</sup> + 3·(4''n'')<sup>2</sup> + 3·4''n'' + 1 is of the form 4''m'' + 1.
|-
 
| S76<sup>2</sup>*S75 = [[2850/2849]] * [[5776/5775]]
: (4''n'' + 1)<sup>2</sup> = (4''n'')<sup>2</sup> + 2·4''n'' + 1 is also of the form 4''m'' + 1.
| ([[38/37]]) / ([[77/76]])<sup>2</sup>
 
| [[219488/219373]]
: Therefore we can replace their occurrences in [Eq. 1] with 4''m'' + 1 and 4''a'' + 1 respectively, without having to worry about what ''m'' and ''a'' are (as we only need to know that ''m'' and ''a'' are positive integers). Therefore to show S(4''n'' + 1)/S(4''n'' + 3) is superparticular, we set k = 4''n'' + 1 in [Eq. 1] and then do the replacements and simplify to a superparticular:
|-
 
| S77<sup>2</sup>*S76 = [[2926/2925]] * [[5929/5928]]
: <math>
| ([[77/75]]) / ([[78/77]])<sup>2</sup>
\begin {align}
| [[456533/456300]]
{\rm S}(4n + 1)/{\rm S}(4n + 3) &= \frac {(4n + 1)^3 + 3(4n + 1)^2}{(4n + 1)^3 + 3(4n + 1)^2 - 4} \\
|-
&= \frac {(4m + 1) + 3(4a + 1)}{(4m + 1) + 3(4a + 1) - 4} \\
| S80<sup>2</sup>*S79 = [[3160/3159]] * [[6400/6399]]
&= \frac {4m + 4(3a) + 4}{4m + 4(3a)} \\
| ([[40/39]]) / ([[81/80]])<sup>2</sup>
&= \frac {m + 3a + 1}{m + 3a}
| [[256000/255879]]
\end {align}
|}
</math>
 
: Then for the final case we want to show that S(4''n'' - 1)/S(4''n'' + 1) is odd-particular by setting k = 4''n'' - 1 in [Eq. 1]:
 
: S(4''n'' - 1)/S(4''n'' + 1) = ( (4''n'' - 1)<sup>3</sup> + 3(4''n'' - 1)<sup>2</sup> )/( (4''n'' - 1)<sup>3</sup> + 3(4''n'' - 1)<sup>2</sup> - 4 )
 
: As before we make replacements:
 
: (4''n'' - 1)<sup>3</sup> = (4''n'')<sup>3</sup> - 3·(4''n'')<sup>2</sup> + 3·4''n'' - 1 is of the form 4''m'' - 1 so will be replaced with such.
 
: (4''n'' + 1)<sup>2</sup> = (4''n'')<sup>2</sup> - 2·4''n'' + 1 is of the form 4''a'' + 1 so will be replaced with such.
 
: Therefore:
 
: <math>
\begin {align}
{\rm S}(4n - 1)/{\rm S}(4n + 1) &= \frac {(4n - 1)^3 + 3(4n - 1)^2}{(4n - 1)^3 + 3(4n - 1)^2 - 4} \\
&= \frac {(4m - 1) + 3(4a + 1)}{(4m - 1) + 3(4a + 1) - 4} \\
&= \frac {4m + 4(3a) + 2}{4m + 4(3a) - 2} \\
&= \frac {2m + 2(3a) + 1}{2m + 2(3a) - 1}
\end {align}
</math>
 
: … which is of the form (2''x'' + 1)/(2''x'' - 1) meaning it is odd-particular.
 
In conclusion: S''k''/S(''k'' + 2) is superparticular for k ≠ 3 (mod 4) and is odd-particular when k = 3 (mod 4).
 
Alternatively stated: S(''k'' - 1)/S(''k'' + 1) is superparticular for ''k'' ≠ 0 (mod 4) and is odd-particular when k = 0 (mod 4). This alternative statement highlights an interesting fact that the four harmonics related by tempering S(''k'' - 1)/S(''k'' + 1) are (''k'' - 2):(''k'' - 1):(''k'' + 1):(''k'' + 2) through tempering ((''k''+2)/(''k''-2)) / ((''k''+1)/(''k''-1))<sup>2</sup> meaning the ''k''th harmonic is the only one not included and therefore a semiparticular is odd-particular if the excluded "harmonic in the middle" (around which the two on each side are symmetric in terms of placement) is a multiple of 4 and is superparticular otherwise.
 
== Abstraction ==
 
=== The maths ===
Let ''H'' be a [[Wikipedia:Abelian group|commutative group]] with generators h<sub>i</sub>, ..., h<sub>k</sub>, ..., h<sub>j</sub> (such that i ≤ k ≤ j).
 
These generators are a series indexed by the integers that are analogous to a portion of the harmonic series, but "analogous" is extremely abstract here, because:
 
The fact that they are indexed by a range of integers is the ''only'' analogy that is guaranteed to hold, but as it turns out, is sufficient for defining analogies of superparticulars and thus S-expressions.


Thus: (the analogue of) a superparticular is of the form h<sub>k+1</sub> h<sub>k</sub><sup>-1</sup> = h<sub>k+1</sub> / h<sub>k</sub> (we'll use multiplicative notation) meaning that (the analogue of) S''k'' is:
== Equivalent S-expressions ==
=== Significance and meaning ===
All S-expressions have other equivalent S-expressions, however when the equivalence makes one comma a member of two of the infinite families discussed on this page, or otherwise makes it equal to a product or ratio between two such commas, this basically always means exceptional and nontrivial ("deep") tempering opportunities, usually leading to multiple of the most elegant and efficient temperaments that we know of depending how you temper further. Generally we exclude 1/n-square-particulars, only noting up to 1/3-square-particulars, because equivalent 1/n-square-particular expressions become very common as you allow higher n, but are still quite rare for small n.


<math>
=== Examples ===
\begin {align}
Here is an incomplete list of examples (feel free to expand with any equivalences you find that you think are valuable):
{\rm S}(k) = \frac{h_k^2}{h_{k-1} h_{k+1}} = (h_k / h_{k-1})/(h_{k+1} / h_k) = h_k h_{k-1}^{-1} (h_{k+1} h_k^{-1})^{-1} = h_k^2 h_{k-1}^{-1} h_{k+1}^{-1}
\end {align}
</math>


Then (the analogues of) S-factorizations correspond to the ''exponents'' of the generators, such that:
{| class="wikitable center-all
 
|-
<math>
! Comma
\begin {align}
! S-expressions
{\rm S}(k) =\ .. h_{k-3}^0 h_{k-2}^0 h_{k-1}^{-1} h_k^2 h_{k+1}^{-1} h_{k+2}^0 h_{k+3}^0 ..\ = [..,\ h_{k-3},\ h_{k-2},\ h_{k-1},\ h_k,\ h_{k+1},\ h_{k+2},\ h_{k+3},\ ..]^{\Large[..,\ 0,\ 0, -1,\ 2, -1,\ 0,\ 0,\ ..]}
|-
\end {align}
| [[25/24]]
| S2/(S3*S4<sup>2</sup>) = S5
|-
| [[49/48]]
| S3/(S5*S6<sup>2</sup>) = S7
|-
| [[64/63]]
| (S4*S5*S6)/S3 = S4/(S6*S7) = S8
|-
| [[81/80]]
| S6/S8 = S9
|-
| [[176/175]]
| S8/S10 = S22*S23*S24
|-
| [[243/242]]
| S9/S11 = S15/([[3025/3024|S22/S24 = S55]])
|-
| [[325/324]]
| S10/S12 = S25*S26
|-
| [[676/675]]
| S13/S15 = S26
|-
| [[1225/1224]]
| S35 = S49*S50
|-
| [[3025/3024]]
| S22/S24 = S55 = S25/S27 * S99
|-
| [[2601/2600]]
| S17/(S25*S26) = S51
|-
| [[9801/9800]]
| S99 = S33/S35
|-
| [[25921/25920]]
| S161 = S46/S48
|-
| [[123201/123200]]
| S351 = S78/S80
|}
 
Note: Where a comma written in the form a/b is used in an S-expression, this means to replace that comma with any equivalent S-expression. This is done in the case of [[3025/3024]] as there are many S-expressions for it so restating them each time it appears seems inconvenient.
 
A proof that every positive rational number (and thus every JI interval) can be written as an S-expression follows.
 
It suffices to show every superparticular number including 2/1 has an expression using square-particulars:
 
<math>\displaystyle
\begin{align}
& 2/1 = S_2 \cdot S_2 \cdot S_3\ ,\\
& 3/2 = S_2 \cdot S_3\ ,\\
& 4/3 = S_2\ ,\\
& \frac{a/(a - 1)}{(b + 1)/b} = \prod_{k=a}^b \left( S_k = \frac{k/(k - 1)}{(k + 1)/k} \right) \\
& \ \ \ = \frac{a/(a - 1)}{(a + 1)/a} \cdot \frac{(a + 1)/a}{(a + 2)/(a + 1)} \cdot \frac{(a + 2)/(a + 1)}{(a + 3)/(a + 2)} \cdot\ \ldots \cdot \frac{b/(b - 1)}{(b + 1)/b} = \frac{a/(a - 1)}{(b + 1)/b} \\
& \implies \frac{a/(a - 1)}{(b + 1)/b} = S_a \cdot S_{a + 1} \cdot S_{a + 2} \cdot\ \ldots \cdot S_b \\
& \implies \frac{S_2 \cdot S_2 \cdot S_3}{\prod_{a = 2}^k S_a} = 2 \cdot \left( \frac{2/(2 - 1)}{(k + 1)/k} \right)^{-1} = 2 \cdot \left( \frac{(k + 1)/k}{2} \right) = (k + 1)/k
\end{align}
</math>
</math>
 
 
This completes the analogy. What this means is:
From here it should not be hard to see how to make any positive rational number. For 11/6, for example, we can do (11/10)(10/9)(9/8)…(2/1) = 11 and then divide that by (6/5)(5/4)(4/3)(3/2)(2/1), meaning 11/6 = (11/10)(10/9)(9/8)(8/7)(7/6) because of the cancellations, then each of those superparticulars we replace with the corresponding S-expression to get the final S-expression. This final S-expression is likely to be far from the most efficient or interesting expression; the redundancy in S-expressions is a strength and feature, as it tells us that there are more than the trivial connections between commas and intervals and that S-expressions can be wielded as a mathematical tool/language to investigate and identify them.
 
 
Every infinite comma family defined in terms of an S-expression will have an infinite number of analogues, because of the maths of S-factorizations continuing to work as expected.
== Glossary ==
 
 
The meanings of these analogues are up to us to interpret, however. This brings us to applications, which we will examine next, with a focus on the musical ones:
; Superparticular
 
: The interval/comma between two consecutive harmonics. See [[superparticular]].
=== Applications ===
: These are of the form (''k'' + 1)/''k''.
 
 
Unless otherwise specified, we will let ''k'' be in the positive integers (Z<sub>+</sub>) and we will let the group operation be the multiplication of rationals, but this abstraction is much more powerful than that.
; Square-particular
 
: A superparticular interval/comma whose numerator is a square number. A shorthand (nick)name for square superparticular.
If you are working with a certain expression for h<sub>k</sub>, it is suggested to use Sa where "a" is a letter that abbreviates the meaning of what you are using.
: These are of the form ''k''<sup>2</sup>/(''k''<sup>2</sup> - 1) = S''k''.
 
 
Letter suggestions are provided below for expressions suspected to be theoretically useful/interesting in the direction of designing desirable temperaments.
; Triangle-particular
 
: A superparticular interval/comma whose numerator is a [[triangular number]]. A shorthand (nick)name for triangular superparticular. An alternative name for 1/2-square-particular.
If we use the letter "a" for some analogy Sa''k'', then because of the guarantees of the analogy, we will always be able to speak of a-square-particulars, a-ultraparticulars, a-semiparticulars, a-1/n-square-particulars and a-lopsided-commas, and have it make abstract sense.
: These are of the form (''k''<sup>2</sup> + k)/(''k''<sup>2</sup> + k - 2). (This always simplifies to a superparticular.)
 
 
To emphasize: this is because all comma families expressed in terms of expressions involving H's group operation applied to elements Sa''k''<sup>p</sup> for ''k'', ''p'' in Z will have analogues if ''k'' is a valid index for Sa.
; 1/''n''-square-particular
 
: A comma which is the product of ''n'' consecutive square-particulars and which can therefore be expressed as the ratio between two superparticulars.
Finally, while we usually speak of temperaments, note that S-expressions, as a tool for aiding [[RTT]], have a wide variety of fruitful applications, exactly because [[RTT]] already itself has a wide variety of fruitful applications not explicitly involving tempering, especially in the design of scales where the [[constant structure]] property is desirable, where [[exotemperament]]s can shine as representing a deep, coarse logic.
: These are of the form S''a''*S(''a''+1)*…*S''b'' = (''a''/(''a'' - 1))/((''b'' + 1)/''b'') = ''ab''/((''a'' - 1)(''b'' + 1)).
 
: Replacing/substituting ''a'' with ''k'' and ''b'' with ''k'' + ''n'' - 1 gives us an equivalent expression that includes the number of square-particulars ''n'':
=== h<sub>k</sub> = k ===
: S''k''*S(''k''+1)*…*S(''k''+''n''-1) = (''k''/(''k'' - 1))/((''k'' + ''n'')/(''k'' + ''n'' - 1)) = ''k''(''k'' + ''n'' - 1)/((''k'' - 1)(''k'' + ''n''))
The trivial example, equal to normal S-expressions and S-factorizations, before abstraction.
: For ''b'' = ''a'' + 1 these can also be called triangle-particulars, in which case they are always superparticular.
 
: These have implications for whether consistency in the (''n''+''k'')=(''b''+1)-[[odd-limit]] is ''potentially'' possible in a given temperament; see the [[#Sk*S(k + 1)*…*S(k + n - 1) (1/n-square-particulars)|section on 1/n-square-particulars]].
=== h<sub>k</sub> = 2k + 1 ===
 
An analogy of S-expressions and S-factorizations for [[EDT]]s which can be used as a corresponding [[RTT]] tool for when we only want to focus on the arithmetic of odds, using [[3/1]] as the new [[equave]].
; Odd-particular
 
: An interval/comma between two consecutive odd harmonics. The odd analogue of superparticular.
A suggestion is to use the notation So''k'', if this is not unambiguous, with the letter "o" standing for "odd". Thus:
: These are of the form (2''k'' + 1)/(2''k'' - 1).
 
 
<math>
; Throdd-particular
\begin {align}
: An interval/comma between two harmonics 3 apart which is not superparticular.
{\rm So}(k) = h_k^2 h_{k-1}^{-1} h_{k+1}^{-1} = \frac{ (2k+1)^2 }{ (2k-1)(2k+3) } = \frac{ 4k^2 + 4k + 1 }{ 4k^2 + 4k - 3 }
: These are of the form (3''k'' + 1)/(3''k'' - 2) or (3''k'' + 2)/(3''k'' - 1).
\end {align}
 
</math>
; Quodd-particular
 
: An interval/comma between two harmonics 4 apart which is not superparticular or odd-particular.
=== h<sub>k</sub> = (k + 1)/k ===
: These are of the form (4''k'' + 1)/(4''k'' - 3) or (4''k'' + 3)/(4''k'' - 1).
An analogy of S-expressions and S-factorizations aiming at deeply faithful modelling of the harmonic series through modelling distances between superparticulars accurately.
 
 
; ''n''-odd-particular
A suggestion is to use the notation Ss''k'', if this is not unambiguous, with the letter "s" standing for "superparticular" or "super" generally.
: An interval/comma between two coprime harmonics ''n'' apart (also called as [[Delta-N ratio|delta-''n'' ratio]]). It is the generalization of superparticular, odd-particular, throdd-particular, and quodd-particular.
 
: If ''n'' is a prime, an ''n''-odd-particular interval is between two harmonics ''n'' apart which is not superparticular. For example, 5-odd-particular intervals are of the form (5''k'' + 1)/(5''k'' - 4), (5''k'' + 2)/(5''k'' - 3), (5''k'' + 3)/(5''k'' - 2) or (5''k'' + 4)/(5''k'' - 1).
We will see that this implies Ss''k'' is the difference between two adjacent S''k'' (an ultraparticular), implying Ss''k'' * Ss(''k'' - 1) is a semiparticular. Thus:
: If ''n'' is a composite, an ''n''-odd-particular interval is between two harmonics ''n'' apart which is neither superparticular nor of ''m''-odd-particular intervals where ''m'' is any other divisor of ''n''. For example, 6-odd-particular intervals are of the form (6''k'' + 1)/(6''k'' - 5) or (6''k'' + 5)/(6''k'' - 1).
 
 
<math>
; Ultraparticular
\begin {align}
: An interval/comma which is the ratio of two consecutive square-particulars.
{\rm Ss}(k) = h_k^2 h_{k-1}^{-1} h_{k+1}^{-1} = \large \frac{ \frac{(k+1)}{k} \cdot  \frac{(k+1)}{k} }{ \frac{k}{k-1}\cdot\frac{k+2}{k+1} } \normalsize = \frac{ {\rm S}(k+1) }{ {\rm S}(k) }
: These are of the form S''k''/S(''k'' + 1).
\implies {\rm Ss}(k){\rm Ss}(k-1) = \frac{ {\rm S}(k+1) }{ {\rm S}(k) } \cdot \frac{ {\rm S}(k) }{ {\rm S}(k-1) } = \frac{ {\rm S}(k+1) }{ {\rm S}(k-1) }
 
\end {align}
; Semiparticular
</math>
: A superparticular or odd-particular interval/comma which is the ratio between two adjacent-to-adjacent square-particulars, which is to say:
 
: These are of the form S''k''/S(''k'' + 2).
This implies that s-ultraparticulars, s-semiparticulars, etc. are now about ratios between ultraparticulars, and that s-1/n-square-superparticulars are about ratios between square-particulars.
 
 
; S-expression
While the utility of the latter should be clear to those familiar with using square-particulars for analysis, it is not clear how useful a concept a ratio between ultraparticulars is, thus we should investigate why we might want such:
: An expression using the S''k'' shorthand notation corresponding strictly to multiplying and dividing only (arbitrary) square-particulars. S-expressions include singular square superparticulars and expressions for other superparticulars in terms of square superparticulars.
 
 
When we equate square-particulars, we lose accuracy the larger streak of them we equate, so eventually we are forced to break the chain.
; S-factorization
 
: An expression that takes a list of consecutive integer harmonics including the ''k''th harmonic and raises them to integer powers, similar to a [[smonzo]] but uniquely suited to analysing S-expressions.
When this happens, we have an ultraparticular that should, in any accurate temperament, be mapped positively, but as a result, we will have multiple such ultraparticulars.
: For example: S''k'' = [''k''-1, ''k'', ''k''+1]^[-1, 2, -1] because S''k'' = (''k''-1)<sup>-1</sup>''k''<sup>2</sup>(''k''+1)<sup>-1</sup>.
 
 
Therefore, it is of interest to describe when these ultraparticulars are equated.
; S-comma
 
: Any comma within one of the infinite families of commas discussed here, excluding 1/n-square-particulars for n>5 (so square-particulars, triangle-particulars, 1/3-square-particulars, 1/4-square-particulars and 1/5-square-particulars are included, but not anything beyond; this bound is used for exclusion (rather than n>3) to allow the utility of 1/5-square-particulars in avoiding twin primes by equating superparticular intervals on either side of the twin primes).
Now consider that as temperaments get more accurate, the streaks of equated square-particulars will either get higher/smaller or shorter, thus in the limit, we do not want to equate them.
 
 
; Indirect S-comma
Rather, we want to equate the ultraparticulars between them in order that we have a smooth growing of distances.
: Any comma that is the product or ratio of two S-commas. These appear frequently as S-expressions for commas that are more challenging/nontrivial to represent from the perspective of S-expressions, for example the [[schisma]] admits at least three such representations!
 
 
While the question of where it is most appropriate and accurate to equate ultraparticulars is beyond the scope of this section, it nonetheless shows that the 2D comma family Ss''a''/Ss''b'' has utility.
== See further ==
 
* [[S-expression/Advanced results|Advanced results]] – for the harder-to-reach algebra
[[Category:Elementary math]]
 
== Notes ==
<references group="note" />
 
[[Category:Elementary math]]
[[Category:Pages with proofs]]
[[Category:Ratio]]
[[Category:Ratio]]
[[Category:Terms]]
[[Category:Terms]]
[[Category:Pages with proofs]]
{{Todo| intro }}