Quote:
Originally Posted by Esel Mann
I don't think anyone here or anyone anywhere else will state that mathematical notation/syntax is perfect.
To answer your comment/question, the reason for the differing ways to represent multiplication as well as division has to do with (A) what can be easily printed with the available means, (B) short-hand to permit more equation per inch or to permit an equation to be more quickly written.
Nevertheless, representation of an operator, does not fall under rules for handling mathematical operators. It falls under representation of a mathematical operator.
It's saddening to see this post disintegrating like others (seems to be happening more and more) into more hate than honest debate.
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Yeah, Dari is a goof that really goes for the person, or whatever he
thinks will spin people up. (thus his clown-shoes)
So, back to my main point..(which has never been 2 or 288) if anyone thinks that the OP eqn wasn't intended to be ambiguous, please raise your hand.
I mean, really "48
÷ 2(9+3) = ????" ...who the hell uses
÷ AND the implied (distributive) multiplication, but someone looking to be ambiguous? ...no brackets, and the selective use of one old operator symbol
÷ which happen to print very closely to the common
+ symbol (our keyboards even have that character. -no key for the
÷ -btw,
a little history on that.(used for subtraction)
Anyway, if you raise your hand, please read
Mathematical Notation: Past and Future -it's very readable. (more math history.)
oh, and
Ambiguity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia