Let n,k∈N. A function
ω:(Rn)k→R
is called a k-linear form on Rn if for each index r∈{1,…,k}, for every choice of vectors v1,…,vr−1,u,w,vr+1,…,vk∈Rn, and for every scalars α,β∈R, one has
ω(v1,…,vr−1,αu+βw,vr+1,…,vk)=αω(v1,…,vr−1,u,vr+1,…,vk)+βω(v1,…,vr−1,w,vr+1,…,vk).
A k-linear form ω is called alternating if
ω(v1,…,vk)=0
whenever vp=vq for some distinct indices p,q∈{1,…,k}. An alternating k-linear form on Rn is also called an alternating covariant k-tensor on Rn.