ahelapikkuse

Ahelapikkuse is a term used in Estonian to denote the length of a chain or sequence. Grammatically, it is the genitive form of ahelapikkus, the noun for chain length. In technical usage, ahelapikkuse describes how long a chain, path, or process lasts, measured as an integer representing the number of elements or transitions involved.

In mathematics and computer science, ahelapikkuse commonly refers to the number of edges in a path through a graph, i.e., the path length. It also appears in algorithms that traverse sequences or chains, where the ahelapikkuse indicates progress or remaining steps. In polymer chemistry, ahelapikkus describes the number of repeating units in a polymer chain, a key factor in properties such as viscosity and melting point.

Context and limits: ahelapikkuse is always a non-negative integer. In Estonian texts, it is frequently paired with numerals and with phrases like ahelapikkuse arv (the count of chain length) or ahelapikkuse definitsioon (definition of chain length). The concept is closely related to other chain- or sequence-length terms such as pikkus (length) and ahel (chain).

Notes: Because Estonian grammar uses case endings, the exact form ahelapikkuse occurs primarily in genitive or possessive constructions, for example, “ahelapikkuse märkimine” (notation of chain length).