Did Feynman really use his own trig notations?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around Richard Feynman's use of unconventional trigonometric notations, as described in his book "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman." Participants explore the implications of his preferences for notation and the broader context of mathematical communication.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants mention that Feynman created his own symbols for trigonometric functions, finding traditional notations ambiguous.
  • One participant quotes Feynman’s description of his symbols, including a sigma for sine and a tau for tangent, suggesting that these were more intuitive for him.
  • Others express skepticism about the practicality of creating new notations, arguing that standard notations are widely understood and facilitate communication.
  • Some participants highlight that Feynman's unconventional views on notation might stem from a symbolic thinking influenced by other physicists, such as Dirac.
  • A few participants critique the complexity of notations in mathematics, suggesting that Feynman's approach adds unnecessary confusion.
  • There are mixed feelings about Feynman's character and his views, with some admiring his brilliance while others find him eccentric or dismissive of standard practices.
  • One participant expresses concern that the discussion might upset Feynman fans, emphasizing respect for his contributions to physics despite disagreements on notation.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the validity of Feynman's criticisms of standard notation. While some appreciate his innovative approach, others argue that it complicates communication and is not justified.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the subjective nature of notation preferences and the varying interpretations of clarity in mathematical communication. The discussion reflects diverse opinions on the balance between innovation and standardization in mathematical notation.

  • #31
krab said:
I agree with Feynman's objections, but LaTeX gets around this problem by using different fonts for such functions. However, most newbies to LaTeX don't use this feature. Hence, sin x is correctly
\sin (x)
while most people on this forum incorrectly use
sin (x)
In the latter expression, LaTeX treats sin as s times i times n. Click each symbol to see how it's done; it's simply an extra backslash.
LaTeX doesn't treat it as anything, it's not a programming language, it's just a way of displaying symbols.
 
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  • #32
dextercioby said:
Sinus of "x" is correctly

\sin x

and not bracketed in any way.

Daniel.
Yes, that's usually the convention I use. But I was making a comparison. A newbie tends not to write "sin x" in LaTeX, because it looks like
sin x
(with no space) and I was guessing they tend to correct it by putting brackets round the x rather than cluing into the backslash.
 
  • #33
A newbie writes sin and not \sin because they are a newbie and not aware that \sin exists. It is nothing to do with their mathematical skills. If they care they will use \text{sin} first then learn about\ \sin
 
  • #34
Sometimes things get beyond hands and i had a feeling it would be so. (Hmm ESP? or is it just Murphy's Law in action). Anyways, i do agree with the inverse sin problem and some years back i found a neat solution. Now i use asin or arcsin and my problem is solved. (uh-oh, is this one of the "my way of writing inverse sin" syndrome? :-p)

-- AI
 
  • #35
Now i use asin or arcsin and my problem is solved.

I have for many years used "asin". But for me, the "a" does not stand for "arc". I read asin(x) as : "the angle whose sine is x".

The inverse sine of x is much harder for me to think about for some reason, then the angle whose sine is x.
 
  • #36
<br /> \frac{\sin x }{n} = six<br />

:smile:
 
  • #37
gazzo said:
<br /> \frac{\sin x }{n} = six<br />

:smile:
Eh? (And I mean that on so many levels)
 
  • #38
gazzo said:
<br /> \frac{\sin x }{n} = six<br />

Oh no, you've exposed the fact that mathematics is but an elaborate hoax! You've doomed us all! *runs*
 
  • #39
it was (kinda) funny at the time. bah, nevermind.
 

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