# What does normalization in math mean.

I have encountered something like this in a paper and was wondering what it really means

normalize the local values in a manner that it leads to elegant probalistic interpretation

Its not that I don't know probability but I dont know the term normalization means. Please show some light.

Thanks,

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Would you put a reference to a paper - it's hard to answer without a context. In you particular case the normalization may mean that the sum of probabilities of all outcomes is exactly $1$. For example, if $A,B,C$ are possible outcomes and they have appeared respectively $a,b$ and $c$ times during experiments then you put $p_a = \frac{a}{a+b+c},p_b = \frac{b}{a+b+c}$ and $p_c = \frac{c}{a+b+c}$ to be their probabilities. –  Ilya May 25 '12 at 16:02
Usually it means dividing by the total in some way. –  copper.hat May 25 '12 at 16:08
Thanks Ilya. Thats what I was looking for If you can post it as answer I would be glad to rate it. Also point to some simple texts of basics would also be appreciated please. –  uDaY May 25 '12 at 16:14
Just to illustrate the importance of context and the different ways in which general mathematical terms like this can be used, the concept is also used in Group Theory (the subgroup which normalises ... etc) –  Mark Bennet May 25 '12 at 16:48