Long variable names
From Why start at x, y, z
Mathematicians normally stick to single-letter variable names. But when they don't, it can be hard to tell if there's a missing multiplication symbol or not.
Some people use an upright font for long variable names to distinguish them from single-letter variable names, drawn in italics (see Use of different typefaces to convey meaning)
Examples
\[ speed = distance \div time \]
\[ \text{speed} = \text{distance} \div \text{time} \]
Is it OK to mix single-letter variable names and longer ones?
\[ x \text{speed} \]
Why?
- ↑ Why do mathematicians use single-letter variables? on math.stackexchange.com
