Quote:
Originally Posted by winders
Guys, syntax is critically important. That is why your teachers wanted you to pay attention to it. Without uniform syntax properly written, it would be impossible to convey even the simplest mathematics, much less complicated mathematics.
Just because some "math majors" use that uniform syntax to create "useless math games" does not mean the one should not pay attention to syntax structure.
For example:
6÷2(1+2)=?
Without proper evaluation of the uniform syntax, you might think the answer was "1" when it is "9".
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The concept of syntax is important (so your writing can be understood) but for me it was a breakthrough to understand that a specific convention is far from the meaning of a statement. Sometimes you get teachers that must teach beyond their understanding and they end up emphasizing the wrong things. Example: Kids often 'learn' to carry without understanding why it works, the symbol manipulation 'is' math to them. Much bigger problems with how linear algebra is taught because the conventions are so clever and interwoven that folks don't often see the bigger picture.