Truncering

Truncering is the act of truncating, or cutting off part of something to produce a shorter or simpler form. The term is used across fields to describe the deliberate removal of trailing elements, values, or features while preserving the remainder.

In mathematics and geometry, truncering can refer to two related ideas. Numeric truncation discards digits after a certain point in a decimal representation (for example, truncating 3.14159 to 3.14). Geometric truncation involves slicing off vertices of a polyhedron to create a new shape, such as a truncated cube or a truncated icosahedron, which yields an Archimedean solid.

In computing and data processing, truncering often means reducing precision by discarding less significant data. Examples include converting a real number to an integer (3.9 becomes 3) or truncating a binary fraction in fixed-point arithmetic. Truncation can lead to systematic bias if not accounted for, and it is common to compare it with rounding.

In statistics and numerical methods, truncation describes restricting observations to a subrange, or using a truncated distribution (for instance, a truncated normal). Truncated series or expansions keep only a finite number of terms, providing an approximate representation of a function.

Etymology and usage notes: the term derives from Latin truncare, “to cut off.” In many languages the noun refers to both the process and the result of truncation. See also truncation (general concept).