In mathematics, hyperbolic space of dimension n is the unique simply connected, n-dimensional Riemannian manifold of constant sectional curvature equal to -1. It is homogeneous, and satisfies the stronger property of being a symmetric space. There are many ways to construct it as an open subset of with an explicitly written Riemannian metric; such constructions are referred to as models. Hyperbolic 2-space, H2, which was the first instance studied, is also called the hyperbolic plane. It is also sometimes referred to as Lobachevsky space or Bolyai–Lobachevsky space after the names of the author who first published on the topic of hyperbolic geometry. Sometimes the qualificative "real" is added to differentiate it from complex hyperbolic spaces, quaternionic hyperbolic spaces and the octononic hyperbolic plane which are the other symmetric spaces of negative curvature. Hyperbolic space serves as the prototype of a Gromov hyperbolic space which is a far-reaching notion including differential-geometric as well as more combinatorial spaces via a synthetic approach to negative curvature. Another generalisation is the notion of a CAT(-1) space. Formal definition and models Definition The -dimensional hyperbolic space or Hyperbolic -space, usually denoted , is the unique simply connected, -dimensional complete Riemannian manifold with a constant negative sectional curvature equal to -1. The unicity means that any two Riemannian manifolds which satisfy these properties are isometric to each other. It is a consequence of the Killing–Hopf theorem. Models of hyperbolic space To prove the existence of such a space as described above one can explicitly construct it, for example as an open subset of with a Riemannian metric given by a simple formula. There are many such constructions or models of hyperbolic space, each suited to different aspects of its study. They are isometric to each other according to the previous paragraph, and in each case an explicit isometry can be explicitly given. Here is a list of the better-known models which are described in more detail in their namesake articles: Poincaré half-plane model: this is the upper-half space with the metric Poincaré disc model: this is the unit ball of with the metric . The isometry to the half-space model can be realised by a homography sending a point of the unit sphere to infinity. Hyperboloid model: In contrast with the previous two models this realises hyperbolic -space as isometrically embedded inside the -dimensional Minkowski space (which is not a Riemannian but rather a Lorentzian manifold).