Mathematical models for time evolution can be differential equations
whose solutions represent motions developing in continuous time
<math>t</math> or, often, maps whose <math>n</math>-th iterate
represents motions developing at discrete integer times
<math>n</math>. The point representing the state of the system at time
<math>t</math> is denoted <math>S_tx</math> in the continuous time
models or, at the <math>n</math>-th observation, <math>S^n\xi</math>
in the discrete time models. Here <math>x,\xi</math> will be points on
a manifold <math>X</math> or <math>\Xi</math> respectively, called the
''phase space'', or the space of the states, of the system.

The connection between the two representations of motions is
illustrated by means of the following notion of ``timing event''.

Physical observations are always performed at discrete times: ''i.e.''
when some special, prefixed, ''timing'' event occurs, typically
when the state of the system is in a set <math>\Xi\subset X</math> and
triggers the action of a ``measurement apparatus'', ''e.g.''
shooting a picture after noting the position of a clock arm. If
<math>\Xi</math> comprises the collection of the timing events,
''i.e.''  of the states <math>\xi</math> of the system which induce the
act of measurement, motion of the system can also be represented as a
map <math>\xi\to S\xi</math> defined on <math>\Xi</math>.

For this reason mathematical models are often maps which associate
with a timing event <math>\xi</math>, ''i.e.'' a point
<math>\xi</math> in the manifold <math>\Xi</math> of the measurement
inducing events, the next timing event <math>S\xi</math>.

If the system motions also admit a continuous time representation on a
space of states <math>X\supset\Xi</math> then there will be a simple
relation between the evolution in continuous time <math>x\to
S_tx</math> and the discrete representation <math>\xi\to S^n\xi</math>
in discrete integer times <math>n</math>, between successive timing
events, namely <math>S\xi\equiv S_{\tau(\xi)}\xi</math>, if
<math>\tau(\xi)</math> is the time elapsing between the timing event
<math>\xi</math> and the subsequent one <math>S\xi</math>

The discrete time representation is particularly useful mathematically
in cases in which the continuous evolution shows singularities: the
latter can be avoided by choosing timing events which occur when the
point representing the system is not singular nor too close to a
singularity (when the physical measurements become difficult or
impossible).