← All parts of this equation

Equation 9 · Part 3 · Frontier AI Model Comparisons: A First-Principles Introduction

subscript

δcontam≥0\delta_{\mathrm{contam}} \geq 0
subscript

What this part means

The lower label selects a particular version, component, or indexed member of the quantity. For example, x₀ and xₜ can be values at different positions.

Its job in the formula

A subscript distinguishes a version, component, step, or member of a quantity. It does not automatically mean multiplication.

The passage around this formula

where atruea_{\mathrm{true}} is the capability the benchmark intends to measure, δcontam\delta_{\mathrm{contam}} ≥\geq 0 is a one-directional inflation term from training-set overlap, and εconfig\varepsilon_{\mathrm{config}} is noise contributed by harness, prompt, effort level, and grading choices, which can push the observed score in either direction. Two systems’ sobss_{\mathrm{obs}} values can differ substantially even when their atruea_{\mathrm{true}} values are identical, and can appear equal even when their atruea_{\mathrm{true}} values are not, purely through the other two terms. Nothing about this requires bad faith on anyone’s part; it follows from the measurement being taken at all.

Read this part in the article →

Learn the underlying idea

A subscript is a label attached below a symbol. It often selects a time step, component, category, or member of a sequence.

Open the illustrated subscripts: which member of a family? guide →

Sources cited in the article section

These citations provide research context; check each source for the exact claim it supports.