 If we think that reduction is like computing the value of a function, then the Church–Rosser theorem—in a first approximation—can be thought to state that the final result of a series of calculations with a term is unique—independently of the order of the steps. This is a slight overstatement though, because uniqueness implies that each series of calculations ends (or “loops” on a term). That is, if there is a unique final term, then only finitely many distinct consecutive calculation steps are possible.