Over centuries, mathematicians have amassed an array of symbols—from arrows and crosses to shapes derived from letters—to ...

Mastering mathematical symbols is essential for success in various fields, from science to technology. The article breaks ...

Everyone knows that arithmetic is true: 2 + 2 = 4. But surprisingly, we don’t know why it’s true.. By stepping outside the box of our usual way of thinking about numbers, my colleagues and I have ...

A mathematician has uncovered the stories behind the symbols used in math. Skip to main content. Scientific American. February 7, 2025. 4 min read. The Wild and Contentious History of Mathematical ...

In this math problem illustrated by Gergely Dudás, a cartoon bear sits in front of a fill-in-the-blank equation, which requires figuring out which symbols go between the four numbers.

Everyone knows that arithmetic is true: 2 + 2 = 4. But surprisingly, we don’t know why it’s true. By stepping outside the box of our usual way of thinking about numbers, my colleagues and I ...

Statistically, the most common symbol in mathematics is the equal sign, which appears in 94% of mathematical expressions. Almost 60% of statements deploy parentheses. Numbers take up only 13% of ...

Humans have been making symbols for numbers for thousands of years. Different cultures developed their own symbols, but all use addition and multiplication, suggesting arithmetic is a universal truth.