• Why did we learn to write multiplication as x?
    142 replies, posted
In elementary school, we started off learning that 3 x 9 is how you multiply 3 by 9. I understand why we can't use x later on, because x is also a common variable, so we switched to • instead. But why the fuck did we learn x in the first place? Couldn't we learn to use • or * from the beginning? Same goes for that weird division symbol (÷). I haven't used that since elementary school, instead I just use 3/9. Another thing I don't understand is why we learn cursive. Once I learned it, I had to write everything in cursive all the time. Until I reached middle school, and since then I have never used cursive since. What's the point of learning it then? I went to half of elementary school in Finland, and the other half in the US, so I assume a good amount of the western world does things this way, but I could be wrong. [B]tl;dr:[/b] Who cares
For cursive, I'm guessing it's just so we don't lose it and it becomes a lost language in hundreds of years from now. The multiplication and division thing, I don't know.
x shows the intersection of two things
x marks the spot, they were teaching us the value of gold digging
• or * is used because x is mostly likely going to be a variable, so it's used not to get people confused.
pretty sure finland teaches * from the start [editline]20th April 2011[/editline] (i'm finnish) using x is just weird
[QUOTE=Craptasket;29320450]• or * is used because x is mostly likely going to be a variable, so it's used not to get people confused.[/QUOTE] I think hes asking why we learned to use x first instead of • or *.
If you're going to be using the x, you're not going to be using variables either..
[QUOTE=Craptasket;29320450]• or * is used because x is mostly likely going to be a variable, so it's used not to get people confused.[/QUOTE] Redundancy much? He asked why we learn 'x' first.
I don't know but x comes back as the cross product so it's even more confusing.
From Wikipedia: "The [B]×[/B] symbol for multiplication was introduced by [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Oughtred"]William Oughtred[/URL] in 1631.[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiplication_sign#cite_note-0"][1][/URL] It was chosen for religious reason to represent the cross.". I guess the dot used sometimes in algebra is a more recent thing, and not as widely used, which is probably why we aren't taught it from primary school. Whenever I write X in algebra, I write it as two "c"s (a normal one a backwards one) to differentiate from multiplication.
[QUOTE=AlphaGunman;29320463]pretty sure finland teaches * from the start [editline]20th April 2011[/editline] (i'm finnish) using x is just weird[/QUOTE] You're weird
[QUOTE=Mikesword221;29320472]I think hes asking why we learned to use x first instead of • or *.[/QUOTE] It's easier for kids to remember? and it's impractical, I don't find it necessary to even use * unless I have a huge equation. or anything in and above algebra
[QUOTE=Caesar;29320553]From Wikipedia: "The [B]×[/B] symbol for multiplication was introduced by [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Oughtred"]William Oughtred[/URL] in 1631.[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiplication_sign#cite_note-0"][1][/URL] It was chosen for religious reason to represent the cross.". I guess the dot used sometimes in algebra is a more recent thing, and not as widely used, which is probably why we aren't taught it from primary school. Whenever I write X in algebra, I write it as two "c"s (a normal one a backwards one) to differentiate from multiplication.[/QUOTE] Not as widely used? I never use x to represent multiplication anymore. In fact, after about 6th grade or so you should never use it again.
[QUOTE=JohnnyMo1;29320568]Not as widely used? I never use x to represent multiplication anymore. In fact, after about 6th grade or so you should never use it again.[/QUOTE] But you should continue to use it as a marker for hidden booty.
[QUOTE=not_Morph53;29320578]But you should continue to use it as a marker for hidden booty.[/QUOTE] That's why I drew a great big x on my ass with sharpie.
[QUOTE=JohnnyMo1;29320568]Not as widely used? I never use x to represent multiplication anymore. In fact, after about 6th grade or so you should never use it again.[/QUOTE] Why should you not use it? I found X much easier to use than other symbols. It's easier to miss a dot on the page, for me anyway.
xxx is that x^2 or x^3? You tell me. [editline]20th April 2011[/editline] If you said either, YOU ARE WRONG. It is a bad movie starring Vin Diesel.
[QUOTE=Caesar;29320622]Why should you not use it? I found X much easier to use than other symbols. It's easier to miss a dot on the page, for me anyway.[/QUOTE] Why would you mark the location of treasure with anything other then a massive red X?
[QUOTE=Craptasket;29320450]• or * is used because x is mostly likely going to be a variable, so it's used not to get people confused.[/QUOTE] why are you removing parts of what i said don't do that good job reading the OP crap also i think we didn't use the raised dot because as a kid it might confuse us with a decimal or something similar?
[QUOTE=JohnnyMo1;29320635]xxx is that x^2 or x^3? You tell me. [editline]20th April 2011[/editline] If you said either, YOU ARE WRONG. It is a bad movie starring Vin Diesel.[/QUOTE] Actually, that also describes the average Facepuncher's browser history too.
[QUOTE=JohnnyMo1;29320635]xxx is that x^2 or x^3? You tell me. [editline]20th April 2011[/editline] If you said either, YOU ARE WRONG. It is a bad movie starring Vin Diesel.[/QUOTE] i think you are confusing xxx with xXx
[QUOTE=JohnnyMo1;29320635]xxx[/QUOTE] (x)x(x) wait that's the same thing, isn't it
[QUOTE=AlphaGunman;29320678]i think you are confusing xxx with xXx[/QUOTE] That's a Math Error.
I think it's a matter of preference really.
[QUOTE=AlphaGunman;29320678]i think you are confusing xxx with xXx[/QUOTE] that would be true if we weren't living in a world without shift or capslock the twilight zone (<- pretend that is capitalized)
[QUOTE=AlphaGunman;29320463]pretty sure finland teaches * from the start [editline]20th April 2011[/editline] (i'm finnish) using x is just weird[/QUOTE] Well the school I went to was a half-british half-finnish school, but we learned x. [QUOTE=JohnnyMo1;29320549]I don't know but x comes back as the cross product so it's even more confusing.[/QUOTE] Yeah but I don't mind that because it's called a "cross" product and X is a cross. I just make sure to leave spaces between the x and the rest, so it's obviously not a variable. u x v
[QUOTE=Craptasket;29320687](x)x(x) wait that's the same thing, isn't it[/QUOTE] Yep. [editline]20th April 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Jo The Shmo;29320720]Well the school I went to was a half-british half-finnish school, but we learned x. Yeah but I don't mind that because it's called a "cross" product and X is a cross. I just make sure to leave spaces between the x and the rest, so it's obviously not a variable. u x v[/QUOTE] And luckily if you're doing a cross product the things on either side will be denoted as vectors somehow so it should be pretty easy to tell.
My handwriting is a fucked-up combination of cursive and print.
I am part of the minority who still uses cursive.
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