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283 points IdealeZahlen | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.848s | source
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non- ◴[] No.42139412[source]
One thing I've always struggled with Math is keeping track of symbols I don't know the name of yet.

Googling for "Math squiggle that looks like a cursive P" is not a very elegant or convenient way of learning new symbol names.

I wish every proof or equation came with a little table that gave the English pronunciation and some context for each symbol used.

It would make it a lot easier to look up tutorials & ask questions.

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1. anigbrowl ◴[] No.42143308[source]
This is something I dislike intensely about pro mathematicians. If you need that many symbols, document them properly and work to ensure they're on the flyleaf of every mathematics textbook. You can easily picture a math paper that reads like

  [    ], but [    ]; however [   ] and [   ], so [   ]....
with the spaces being filled in by signatures of famous mathematicians.