Equation 35 · Part 2 · The Real Economics of Shipping a Model to a Device
subscript
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.
Full expression→subscript→Article meaning
The passage around this formula
None of these three accounts contradicts the others; they describe different positions in the same equation from different vantage points, and the disagreement worth naming is about which term each party has the strongest incentive to foreground. A chip vendor foregrounds against . A model vendor selling API access to multiple sizes foregrounds the existence of a genuine quality-cost curve rather than a single right answer. A platform vendor foregrounds who pays and U rather than whether they are paid at all. DeepSeek’s own disclosure practice is a useful corrective to take from all three: a company reporting a training cost explicitly flagged as…
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 surrounding passage
These citations provide research context; check each source for the exact claim it supports.