Stacked fractions: Difference between revisions
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(Added reference for convoluted example due to Barry Mazur who was trying to annoy Serge Lang.) |
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A fraction written on multiple levels is often ambiguous, especially when handwritten. For example, \(\frac{10}{\frac{2}{5}}\) and \(\frac{\frac{10}{2}}{5}\) result in 25 and 1, respectively. | A fraction written on multiple levels is often ambiguous, especially when handwritten. For example, \(\frac{10}{\frac{2}{5}}\) and \(\frac{\frac{10}{2}}{5}\) result in 25 and 1, respectively. | ||
Things get even worse when you use the letter \(\Xi\) in this convoluted example: | Things get even worse when you use the letter \(\Xi\) in this convoluted example<ref>[http://www.ams.org/notices/200605/fea-lang.pdf AMS Notices: Remembrances of Serge Lang]</ref>: | ||
[[File:Xi bar over Xi .jpg|thumb|center|alt=A handwritten stacked fraction with Xi bar divided by Xi. In effect it looks like nothing more than a stack of eight horizontal lines of varying sizes.|\(\frac{\bar \Xi}{\Xi}\), handwritten]] | [[File:Xi bar over Xi .jpg|thumb|center|alt=A handwritten stacked fraction with Xi bar divided by Xi. In effect it looks like nothing more than a stack of eight horizontal lines of varying sizes.|\(\frac{\bar \Xi}{\Xi}\), handwritten]] | ||
Latest revision as of 16:38, 12 July 2021
A fraction written on multiple levels is often ambiguous, especially when handwritten. For example, \(\frac{10}{\frac{2}{5}}\) and \(\frac{\frac{10}{2}}{5}\) result in 25 and 1, respectively.
Things get even worse when you use the letter \(\Xi\) in this convoluted example[1]:
