Where do math symbols come from? - John David Walters

Поделиться
HTML-код
  • Опубликовано: 3 янв 2025

Комментарии •

  • @Marcopolo9
    @Marcopolo9 7 лет назад +1919

    Wow, what my middle school math teacher meant by “Mathematicians are lazy” makes COMPLETE sense now. I never put thought into what he said.

    • @randomguy263
      @randomguy263 5 лет назад +40

      Does all math teacher say that?

    • @neventomicic330
      @neventomicic330 4 года назад +18

      @@randomguy263 Mine did.

    • @randomguy263
      @randomguy263 4 года назад +16

      @@neventomicic330 Yeah, my math teacher also explained what he meant by it.

    • @geetanjalisingh9885
      @geetanjalisingh9885 4 года назад +8

      @@randomguy263 my maths teacher is lazy sorry super lazy

    • @dinstellar4099
      @dinstellar4099 4 года назад +5

      👍🏻 (I'm a math teacher)

  • @thesuomi8550
    @thesuomi8550 5 лет назад +424

    It's interesting how there are still different ways of writing some of these, •, * and x are used for multiplication etc.

    • @siddharthvivek2278
      @siddharthvivek2278 3 года назад +38

      sometimes, especially when youre dealing with parentheses, you dont even need to write any symbol for multiplication
      so (x + y)(x - y) is the same as (x + y) * (x - y)

    •  3 года назад +24

      2 X 2 is primary school
      * and • represent the same symbol basically, dot for writing and * for typing. • is used in more advanced grades to not mix up with a possible variable in case you continued using x. In the presence of a variable or parentheses, no symbol is necessery.
      2x, 3y, 2(7 + 9). You might even do 2(8)

    • @GamingBoyColor
      @GamingBoyColor 3 года назад +1

      You are an + Lol!

    • @Stratelier
      @Stratelier 3 года назад +9

      And in some contexts, they are actually different operations and thus _need_ to have different symbols.
      Like with vector math, or pretty much any defined programming language.

    • @shafeeqshepi9907
      @shafeeqshepi9907 2 года назад +1

      @ . .,, . . . ., , . . . .

  • @CaptTerrific
    @CaptTerrific 7 лет назад +3730

    This was kinda disappointing... we only actually got the answer to the question "Where do math symbols come from?" for 3 symbols: =, +, and !

    • @ekgguy727
      @ekgguy727 7 лет назад +566

      Higgins2001
      You know how long it took me to realize that ÷ LITERALLY symbolizes a fraction?

    • @mennoastfalck2267
      @mennoastfalck2267 7 лет назад +124

      I don't think you watched the entire video, they clearly explained × ÷ sigma and ². They also gave more subtle explanations for other symbols, such as pi and not equal to.

    • @CaptTerrific
      @CaptTerrific 7 лет назад +377

      Menno - I did indeed watch the whole video. They explained why the symbols exist and what they represent, but not where they come from (and most of us already know what they represent, and why we need symbols overall)

    • @mennoastfalck2267
      @mennoastfalck2267 7 лет назад +50

      Sorry, I misunderstood. Perhaps the origin of some symbols couldn't be traced to one person, or no one knows who thought of them.
      By the way, you responded quite quickly. Were you online since you posted the original comment?

    • @nofanfelani6924
      @nofanfelani6924 7 лет назад +18

      Menno Astfalck notification

  • @Yathuprem
    @Yathuprem 7 лет назад +2660

    Awesometh videoth. I gave u my liketh and shareth.😂

  • @TheCanno64
    @TheCanno64 7 лет назад +1407

    ''English letters'' that hurts me a bit

    • @Thammarith
      @Thammarith 7 лет назад +134

      Because they're Latin? Just a guess.

    • @Nathan-pk1tb
      @Nathan-pk1tb 7 лет назад +77

      He said Latin later, so it’s not as bad

    • @mickmickymick6927
      @mickmickymick6927 7 лет назад +44

      Ça nous fais mal à tous.

    • @Nosirt
      @Nosirt 7 лет назад +46

      pretty much all western European language in the latin derived so calling all of them "latin" alphabet is unhelpful.
      "hey man, can you write the Latin letters?"
      ok *writes english 26 letters*
      "sorry I meant spanish letters!"

    • @chairwood
      @chairwood 7 лет назад +33

      American letters*

  • @charliecastillo2011
    @charliecastillo2011 7 лет назад +482

    If math class covered more history like this I probably would have liked it more

    • @dorol6375
      @dorol6375 3 года назад +14

      How would that be useful for getting and executing a math-related job though?

    • @Tokmurok
      @Tokmurok 3 года назад +28

      @@dorol6375 investment makes being motivated towards something easier. Not everyone can just do what they are told in class without asking, why, where did this come from, what is the meaning of this things creation.

    • @dorol6375
      @dorol6375 3 года назад +2

      @@Tokmurok If you need a reason to be motivated for a subject, that probably wouldn't be your future job though.

    • @alastairhewitt380
      @alastairhewitt380 3 года назад +18

      @@dorol6375 I was always good at math until I got to Precalc in 10th grade. I simply couldn't understand why we were doing what we were doing and my progress in mathematics came to an abrupt halt. It is only when I looked ahead at Calculus (several years later, out of curiosity) that it all started to click. I re-enrolled in university during the pandemic and now, at 29, am nearly finished with a degree in Applied Mathematics. There were other personal reasons why my academic & life path diverted in the way that it did, but not understanding why we were doing certain things was a huge source of frustration & initial disinterest in STEM - especially since I've always hated traditional systems of education. I hope my future job involves some use of math & problem solving, because it is something I do enjoy, I just can't bear when a task seems utterly pointless.

    • @sergioandresquirogavelarde6816
      @sergioandresquirogavelarde6816 3 года назад +4

      I would have less, although i find this interesting, i prefer the numbers and applications of the symbols more than the symbols themselves.

  • @crisk75
    @crisk75 7 лет назад +413

    I didn't know I wanted to know this until now

    • @nofanfelani6924
      @nofanfelani6924 7 лет назад +15

      I didnt know that you didnt know you wanted to know this until now

    • @geckoo9190
      @geckoo9190 7 лет назад +5

      Yes, is one of those things that you don't wonder abot until some one suggest you to, now that you mention it, yes, where do those come from?

    • @TheRealFlenuan
      @TheRealFlenuan 5 лет назад

      You should also read about how the letters of the alphabet originated from Egyptian unilateral hieroglyphs

    • @mystic6970
      @mystic6970 4 года назад +2

      Gave u the 300th like

  • @gigglysamentz2021
    @gigglysamentz2021 7 лет назад +192

    The division sign that we're all wondering about is called obelus and was first used for division by Swiss mathematician Johann Rahn in his 1659 book

    • @tricksguru6458
      @tricksguru6458 3 года назад

      ruclips.net/video/-42WaYUTsOg/видео.html

    • @okaro6595
      @okaro6595 Год назад +2

      That is not used in Finland. Instead we use a colon.

    • @kuutti256
      @kuutti256 Год назад +1

      ​@@okaro6595I never really got why we use • and : instead of × and ÷

    • @alexandramilos392
      @alexandramilos392 9 месяцев назад +1

      ​@@kuutti256 to me it's the other way around, like • is shorter then × and : is shorter then ÷ so why not use • and : instead of × and ÷ to save ever so slightly more time? Especially when the whole point of using symbols is to save time. And before anyone says "oh but they barely save any time/ no time" when your teacher is an Eminem wannabe it actually does save A LOT of time to use • and : instead of × and ÷

  • @EweChewBrrr01
    @EweChewBrrr01 7 лет назад +248

    That was really interesting but I wanted to know more on how the symbols were invented. The divided by symbol was what I was waiting for.

    • @MantyxGraphyx
      @MantyxGraphyx 3 года назад +40

      Idk how it was invented but it does simplify a fraction like 5/4 becomes 5÷4. The 2 dots under and over it represent the numbers •/•

    • @Annie-mk5nm
      @Annie-mk5nm 3 года назад +12

      It looks like an empty fraction

    • @KURM654
      @KURM654 3 года назад +7

      @@MantyxGraphyx 5/4 seems more simplified to me though

    • @notthatntg
      @notthatntg 2 года назад

      I like to think that the line broke a larger dot up (which is the practical definition of division).

  • @alastairhewitt380
    @alastairhewitt380 3 года назад +30

    One of the many things I love about Khan Academy is that Sal always reminds us of what the symbols mean, no matter the level of the course. Makes learning so much easier.

    • @tricksguru6458
      @tricksguru6458 3 года назад

      ruclips.net/video/-42WaYUTsOg/видео.html

  • @dergrosserobini
    @dergrosserobini 7 лет назад +65

    I'd like to add a few things: the symbol for the square root √ and the integral ∫ come from the latin letters r for root and s for sum respectively. The minus sign - is what's left of a tilde written over the letter m indicating substraction, π is the greek p for perimeter (of the circle with diameter 1). Most other signs, like * and /, are fairly new and were invented by mathematicians.
    The alleged origin of the digits is also very interesting: 0 was the original ten, and is was written a little up, so that 9 and 8 were that circle with one and two little lines coming from its bottom. The 5 was the same circle written low, and with a horizontal line over it for disambiguation. The 6 and 7, again, are that low circle with one and two lines at its top. 1 to 3 are series of straight lines forming just as many angles as their value. 4 was once just a kind of cross, thus forming four angles, but the horizontal line sort of slided to the left a bit and was bent up at its left end. Better google these again. That's all I can tell :D

    • @varoonnone7159
      @varoonnone7159 2 года назад

      That's still a lot. Thank you

    • @yuran1um
      @yuran1um Год назад +1

      * may be multiple + laid one on another.

  • @virgile9419
    @virgile9419 7 лет назад +287

    disappointed that there wasn't a small explanation of ÷

    • @brickstrike4926
      @brickstrike4926 7 лет назад +38

      Captaindia it looks like a fraction. Maybe someone made fractions and then decided they needed another way to write it horizontally lol

    • @josephlandry4285
      @josephlandry4285 7 лет назад +34

      It actually is a fraction. A blank one tho lol the dots in the top and bottom of the line represent the unknown variable and the line represents the fraction divide.
      Ex: '/, is equal to 2/3 or two divided by three lol
      Dot over dot is equal to variable over variable to put it simple👌✌

    • @jonathanlamping9627
      @jonathanlamping9627 5 лет назад +4

      it's an empty fraction, the dots representing where the numerator and denominator would be.

    • @shahnazmirza2348
      @shahnazmirza2348 5 лет назад +1

      I thought it meant a line cut through a circle to divide it into 2 smaller circles.

    • @randomguy263
      @randomguy263 5 лет назад +1

      @@josephlandry4285 | Sure, but why do we write fraction like this: n/m then?

  • @maixuankhang6254
    @maixuankhang6254 7 лет назад +714

    Ted-Ed is getting more dank lately.

  • @ryandarshen1846
    @ryandarshen1846 7 лет назад +464

    2+2 is 4, minus 1that's 3, quick maths

  • @TheTexas1994
    @TheTexas1994 7 лет назад +748

    They’re called Latin Characters (or letters), not English letters

    • @katowo6521
      @katowo6521 7 лет назад +15

      He says English letters at 0:54

    • @jamesrobinson6330
      @jamesrobinson6330 7 лет назад +4

      English is based off Latin and other languages. They could have used the 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 symbol but they were saying it not writing it!

    • @HyperDragon01
      @HyperDragon01 7 лет назад +1

      English is more germanic than latin based. Though nowadays is pretty much the only language that will appropriate a word from any other language and just use it.

    • @user-qs7xy8jv8l
      @user-qs7xy8jv8l 7 лет назад +27

      Darth so wrong,every language does that

    • @crydeplosion7098
      @crydeplosion7098 7 лет назад +2

      It's not even latin, it's fenician but ok

  • @bechirbrahem5002
    @bechirbrahem5002 7 лет назад +234

    Actually the symbol of the square-root has a reason why it is that shape :
    root in arabic is جذر and its first letter is ج which if rotate it you get the modern symbol

    • @Thedavekable
      @Thedavekable 7 лет назад +50

      bechir brahem thank you! This video was mostly explaining basic operators, not where they came from like you did

    • @kanduyog1182
      @kanduyog1182 7 лет назад +20

      well, from what i know, the square root symbol came from the letter r, because √ kinda looks like r, from earlier texts. At least that's what i know.

    • @michielhorikx9863
      @michielhorikx9863 7 лет назад +14

      리성천 Rhee Sung Chun I have heard that too, because root in Latin is 'radix'.

    • @netrunningnow
      @netrunningnow 7 лет назад +37

      So I googled it and it turns out both the ج for جذر and the R for radix are noted by historians.
      en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_root#History

    • @nantzstein3311
      @nantzstein3311 7 лет назад

      Also @

  • @kathryncarter6143
    @kathryncarter6143 4 года назад +35

    I think vertical "equal" signs could get easily mixed up with one & sevens if you're really into a significant number problem.

  • @ibrahima8393
    @ibrahima8393 3 года назад +1

    Vieweths, Shareths, Likeths?
    The animation team deserves an Emmy at this point

  • @hymnsoncheung1681
    @hymnsoncheung1681 7 лет назад +79

    3:52
    Those aliens are so adorable like my teeth

  • @AmateurContendr
    @AmateurContendr 5 лет назад +467

    "Where do math symbols come from?"
    Only explains the origin of two symbols.

    • @moondust2365
      @moondust2365 4 года назад +29

      Three actually. The ! for factorials was basically just a random pick by Christian Kramp.

    • @dnhn.design
      @dnhn.design 4 года назад

      @@moondust2365 lol

    • @iconic410
      @iconic410 4 года назад +1

      Did you perhaps go to DBS?

    • @user-qh5jk1mn5i
      @user-qh5jk1mn5i 4 года назад +3

      Technically, it is the truth. for something to be plural it needs to be at least 2. they explained 2 symbols.

    • @yuvrajkumar2048
      @yuvrajkumar2048 3 года назад

      Two symbols are plural
      So saying where math symbols come from is not a wrong statement.

  • @aaronwilson9763
    @aaronwilson9763 3 года назад +10

    This was a great TED-ED Talk...
    Another would be the exploration into "how" and/or "why" some
    languages a more symbol based than others...
    Egyptian hieroglyphics and even Chinese Mandarin are more
    symbolism and meaning rather than annunciation of a word to
    build a more complicated ideas.

    • @lonestarr1490
      @lonestarr1490 3 года назад +1

      That simply boils down to what exactly the symbols represent. Do they represent sounds, syllables, or whole words/names/ideas. The more meaning is crammed into one symbol, the more symbols you'll need in total.

  • @MogaTange-m7b
    @MogaTange-m7b Год назад +1

    I was expecting a rundown of common maths symbols and where they come from. What I got was 4 minutes of over explaining something I think everyone would have figured out themselves.

  • @wophful
    @wophful 6 лет назад +23

    “Kind of like a meme” you mean literally like a meme. That’s the definition of meme.

  • @religionbuster7180
    @religionbuster7180 7 лет назад +2

    thank you Anderson for coming back

  • @durpddurke4633
    @durpddurke4633 7 лет назад +118

    The Whetstone of Witte
    Why doesth it soundeth weirdeth?

  • @YasminBiancaKBelck-ob5dd
    @YasminBiancaKBelck-ob5dd 7 лет назад +11

    √ comes from "r" for "radix" (latin for root)

  • @shaheenkhan8031
    @shaheenkhan8031 6 лет назад +5

    Thank you TED ED. for all animate videos .

  • @WhimsicalCreature457
    @WhimsicalCreature457 4 года назад +1

    4:00 - 4:08 just warmed my heart.

  • @superj1e2z6
    @superj1e2z6 7 лет назад +140

    There is bound to be a new craze, instead of emojis we talk with math symbols QED.

  • @dylanparker130
    @dylanparker130 7 лет назад +2

    given the thumbnail, you'd think they'd have mentioned the origin of the division sign: it's supposed to look like a fraction, where the two dots represent numerator and denominator.

  • @0901강민재
    @0901강민재 4 года назад +32

    수학기호를 만드는 과정이 어렵고 잘 갖추어진 시스템인 것이라고 생각 했는데 잘 갖추어진 시스템이 아닌 단지 유행 일뿐이라는 것이 충격적이었습니다. 또 기호의 중요성도 배웠습니다. 유익한 동영상 감사합니다.

  • @saisevithaa1772
    @saisevithaa1772 6 лет назад +5

    Who else loves the animation?
    Of course, Ted Ed = (awesome animation + awesome narration + awesome lesson)^99999

  • @craig4989
    @craig4989 4 года назад +4

    The symbols are like dads they abandon their kid but come back when they win the lottery

  • @SourceEnginePlayer
    @SourceEnginePlayer Год назад +1

    2:34
    division wasn't mentioned how it repeats something so I guess here:
    if you didn't know, since the oppisite of addition is subraction, then the oppisite of repeated addition (multiplication) is repeated subtraction (division)
    we will use this equation: x / y = z
    to find how it repeats, do as follows:
    x - y = a, if a < y, and a not= 0, then there is value after the decimal point, (the remainder is y - a if you don't use decimals) if a >= y, next step.
    a - y = b, follow the instructions above replacing a with b. (ex: b > y, y - b)
    add new variables respectively.
    the amount of times you subtract y is the answer assuming that you start at 0 times.
    example: 10 / 5 = ?
    10 - 5 = 5, (? + 1 -> ?)
    5 >= 5
    5 - 5 = 0, (? + 1 -> ?)
    0 = 0, stop.
    ? = 2, which means that 10 / 5 = 2
    extra math nonsense below
    ever wonder why the division symbol was two dots seperated by a line (or just a slash if you're fancy)
    its because fractions (practically the same as division but lazy) are "x over y" or those two dots, filled in with numbers. x is the top dot, and y is the bottom dot.
    the slash comes from if a fraction fell over.
    percentages also apply, since you can represent every pecantage as x% = x / 100, or "x over 100" which

  • @rajeshsharmajaipur
    @rajeshsharmajaipur 7 лет назад +6

    Love to see TED Ed in its original expertise after long time 😍😘

  • @Henry-og1yq
    @Henry-og1yq 3 года назад +1

    'It's normal to find this wealth of symbols a little intimidating.'
    *SO I'M NOT ALONE*

  • @smartart6841
    @smartart6841 3 года назад +5

    3:18 i literally did that whole thing just to end up seeing a block of text and an equation

  • @chrisg3030
    @chrisg3030 7 лет назад

    Alternative origin for + that also explains why we conventionally use base ten.
    Scale it up so that you can place a counter in one of the quadrants of this grid, say top left. That symbolises 1. Move it to top right, that's 2. Bottom right 3, bottom left 4. Now leave it there and put a second counter in the top left. What have you got? 1+4=5. Keep moving and adding like this, and when all the quadrants are occupied you have 1+2+3+4=10. An additive place value system of counting.
    You can also have a grid with 9 (rather than just 4) spaces to symbolise ten numbers (empty grid represents 0). This is still with us as #.

  • @Michael-Hammerschmidt
    @Michael-Hammerschmidt 3 года назад +17

    Sadly, the quote from Russell in the intro, asserting a viewpoint known as logicism, was short lived. This quote was drawn out by the same hopeful zeitgeist as Frege, Hilbert and others dream to axiomatize all of mathematics under one formal system, reducing all of mathematics to pure logic and thus rendering it wholly complete and consistent.
    However, the specter of undecidability was soon to unweave the seam binding the whole project together. First, Russell himself pulled on the thread when he responded to Frege's naïve set theory with "Russell's Paradox," finding a liar's-esque paradox at the heart of the system. Next, Turing followed in his footsteps, showing the same must be true of computer systems, but the thread of Logicism came entirely undone when Gödel published his two “incompleteness theorems", which found just the same self-referential paradox arises necessarily in all formal systems capable of arithmetic. This does not include Logic, but is true for all formal mathematical systems. Thus, once and for all, demonstrating Math cannot be reducible to Logic.

  • @femto2
    @femto2 4 года назад +1

    The square root symbol is not arbitrary.
    Latin: "radix" quadratum 4 aequalis 2 (the "side" of square 4 is equal to 2)
    1) radix quadratum 4 = 2
    2) radix 4 = 2
    3) ra 4 = 2
    4) r(4) = 2
    .
    .
    .
    √4 = 2

    • @femto2
      @femto2 4 года назад

      The word "radix" in the context of the time is better translated "side" instead of "root".

  • @abonturi
    @abonturi 7 лет назад +18

    Vídeo maravilhoso!!! Parabéns, TED-Ed!!! A Matemática é a mãe de todas as ciências! A Matemática está em todo o universo.

    • @tricksguru6458
      @tricksguru6458 3 года назад

      ruclips.net/video/-42WaYUTsOg/видео.html

  • @antoniusnies-komponistpian2172
    @antoniusnies-komponistpian2172 Год назад +1

    Addition itself is already a shortcut, at least for integers. m+n is short for "n integers after m"

  • @Sam_on_YouTube
    @Sam_on_YouTube 7 лет назад +163

    They'd probablg have a symbol for tau, not pi.

    • @abadlydrawnsnowman1648
      @abadlydrawnsnowman1648 7 лет назад +2

      PI IS BETTER THAN TAU Y'ALL

    • @MegaMGstudios
      @MegaMGstudios 7 лет назад +6

      No TAU, no PI, give me a TAUPIer

    • @user-yj4qz5lo6k
      @user-yj4qz5lo6k 7 лет назад +2

      you mean taf

    • @kaptaink0
      @kaptaink0 6 лет назад +1

      Pi is obviously better than tau, because mostly tau is defined as 2*pi
      Notice that mostly, pi haters

    • @thomasthetankengine2653
      @thomasthetankengine2653 6 лет назад +3

      Keir McCulloch And people who use tau/taf call π tau/2
      To teach, tau actually makes a lot more sense and only the area formula is simpler using π. For the purposes of arithmetic and geometric calculations, tau is usually a much better option. However, though tau does have more mathematical significance, in absolute math, tau or π are just notations for concepts, so it really doesn't matter. However, for notation and SYMBOLS, tau certainly makes things easier.
      And if you're going to give the e^πi=-1 argument, just know that e^(taf*i)=1

  • @FabianoSeixasFernandes
    @FabianoSeixasFernandes 5 лет назад

    Love the content. Always watch. But I am here to comment on how beautiful the fact is that now you have ads before _and_ after videos. Remember those days when we thought the Internet was for the people?

  • @strawberrymilksamurai
    @strawberrymilksamurai 7 лет назад +3

    Today I learned that the "equal to" sign caught on like a meme... that's awesome and hilarious at the same time... I never thought I'd be so thankful for memes

  • @KailashAnand06
    @KailashAnand06 4 года назад +1

    His voice is so calming

  • @egeemirozkan2460
    @egeemirozkan2460 7 лет назад +11

    Two horizontal lines are sometimes used to represent "or" in some programming languages such as C#

    • @MarioFanGamer659
      @MarioFanGamer659 7 лет назад +3

      It's actually single vertical line if the "or" operation in question is a bitwise or instead of a logical or.

    • @okaro6595
      @okaro6595 Год назад

      The vertical line is a funny character. Originally it was included for use with APL but as APL decided to use an exclamation point instead they decided to break the vertical line by cutting it by half so that it would not be used. In ASCII 1977 they decided to fix it though the broken line was still common on many systems in the 80s. Then when they extended the character set to add new letters they decided to add the broken bar (¦) back. Why? No programming language uses anything other than pure ASCII in anything besides comments and strings.
      Speaking of characters has anyone ever used the international currency symbol (¤). Swedes in their neutrality did not want the dollar sign so they replaced it with that. On modern character sets it is a separate character from the dollar but still it is the shifted function for 4-key. To get $ one needs to use the AltGr instead.

  • @aabhinnav
    @aabhinnav 7 лет назад +2

    I would've lived all my life but never would have known this. Thanks!

  • @Grimlock1979
    @Grimlock1979 5 лет назад +4

    Leonard Euler is responsible for much of the mathematical notation we use today.

  • @anandamanna9932
    @anandamanna9932 6 месяцев назад

    This is awesome! i am enjoying this maths curiosities probably more than my students are HAHAHAHAHAHAH Cheers from Brazil 💚💛💙

  • @orangutansoda
    @orangutansoda 7 лет назад +4

    The addition sign is the equal sign crossed
    The Subtraction is the equal sign with a line subtracted
    The multiplication sign is the addition sign tilted
    The division sign is 2 multiplication dots on top and bottom of a subtraction sign (repeated subtraction)

    • @MajkaSrajka
      @MajkaSrajka 7 лет назад

      Interesting hypothesis.

    • @briandiehl9257
      @briandiehl9257 7 лет назад +1

      Division is a fraction (look at the symbol)

    • @Fummy007
      @Fummy007 7 лет назад

      All of these are wrong.

  • @feetbilo8169
    @feetbilo8169 7 лет назад +1

    Omigosh I would LOVE it if you had books containing this much information. That is a Math book I'll actually enjoy!

  • @teeweezeven
    @teeweezeven 3 года назад +3

    3:40 the square root isn't as arbitrary as it might seem. It is supposed to be an r, for root

  • @michelebriere9569
    @michelebriere9569 3 года назад +1

    I wish this was available when I was in school. My math teachers couldn't tell me why we use certain symbols. I had Aspy meltdowns more than once because of it.

  • @vsrirampriya6972
    @vsrirampriya6972 7 лет назад +3

    The division symbol is because:
    •\• the top dot represent Numerator and botoom represent Denominator

    • @pay-2win
      @pay-2win 10 месяцев назад

      so.. 11 / 2 = 11/2

  • @moonstonepearl21
    @moonstonepearl21 7 лет назад +2

    Really enjoyed this. Very informative and the cute animations were really fun to watch :)

  • @PARALLELPEOPLEAKSHAYB
    @PARALLELPEOPLEAKSHAYB 5 лет назад +3

    Wherever they come from they're awesome.....

  • @capt.prasad
    @capt.prasad 2 года назад +1

    Well I didn’t know who introduced the = sign. Yet it’s amazing how and 4 minute video titled “where do math symbols come from” was made which explains the origin of just one symbol.

  • @swayingGrass
    @swayingGrass 4 года назад +4

    "Likeths" 0:50

  • @ricopin
    @ricopin 7 лет назад +1

    kinda wished the video would have explained the origins of more symbols than = and +. the second half of the vid was just about how having symbols is useful which I think nobody is denying...

  • @francescolasaracina3964
    @francescolasaracina3964 5 лет назад +23

    This video title is wrong. It should've been: "what's the purpose of those symbols"

  • @davegoodo3603
    @davegoodo3603 3 года назад +1

    From reading some comments there is room for a more comprehensive set of symbols to identify, I enjoyed this one too, thanks!

  • @ViktoriousFlutes
    @ViktoriousFlutes 7 лет назад +7

    3:31 SAT and ACT (standardized tests) style of confusing people's minds and juggling with their emotions.

  • @landlord291
    @landlord291 4 года назад +1

    Now I’m going to search up where letters came from

  • @josephjackson1956
    @josephjackson1956 5 лет назад +3

    All those little dots at 1:15 probably mean something in maths

  • @geetaannigeri2708
    @geetaannigeri2708 5 лет назад

    Simply love these videos......But I don't know why ppl give a thumbs down.....Seriously ppl!!!

  • @rogersledz6793
    @rogersledz6793 3 года назад +4

    Thank you so much for uploading this video. It is helping me get through the pandemic!

  • @JoiyGaming
    @JoiyGaming 7 лет назад

    Ty for uploading vids great animation and important topics

  • @thefunnyfungusman
    @thefunnyfungusman 7 лет назад +25

    You said meme...
    *Subscribed*

    • @TheTouroVermelho
      @TheTouroVermelho 7 лет назад

      Well, did you know that the word "meme" was created way before Internet? I think the first person to use it was Richard Dawkins in his book "The Selfish Gene"

    • @DanielMemeSmith
      @DanielMemeSmith 6 лет назад

      Gustavo Miller oh look, a historian!

    • @DanielMemeSmith
      @DanielMemeSmith 6 лет назад

      Pelican I can't believe that word is able to be in a ted ed talk. Wow. The new generation is always evolving...

  • @juizdeinternet
    @juizdeinternet 7 лет назад

    Finally a video that I wanted to watch, because recently the videos here were kinda boring...

  • @youarenextlol2042
    @youarenextlol2042 6 лет назад +6

    3:12 He is left handed!
    #LeftieSquad

  • @SG-xt1gf
    @SG-xt1gf 7 лет назад +1

    The division symbol is the line separating the two dots. #divisonindivisionsign

  • @sebastiansimon7557
    @sebastiansimon7557 4 года назад +10

    I though “+” came from the letter _p_ (shortened from “plus”), where the vertical line remained and the bottom part of the loop became the horizontal line, but the loop itself disappeared over time. Same for “−” which came from the letter _m_ (shortened from “minus”) which turned into a squiggly horizontal line, then just into a horizontal line.

  • @nicholasalkhawli6057
    @nicholasalkhawli6057 4 года назад

    Let's graph a function without symbols 5x+y =10
    (5 times X plus y Is equal to ten
    Plug in 1 for x to get 5 plus y is equal to ten subtract five to get y = 5
    So the first point is y is equal to 5
    And x is equal to 1 for the second point plug in 2 for x to get 10 plus y is equal to 10 so subtract 10 from both sides to y is equal to 0 when x =2) with symbol
    When x=1 5(1)+y=10 y=10-5=5
    (1,5) when x=2 y+5(2)=10 y=10-10=0
    (2,0).
    Not lazy but efficient

  • @LeHoangBac
    @LeHoangBac 7 лет назад +3

    0:12 whetstone!? Math requires knife sharpening? JK.

  • @Welivecurious
    @Welivecurious 3 года назад

    अद्भुत ! सभी पेरेंट्स को देखना चाहिए यह वीडियो और अपने बच्चों से इस बारे मैं बात करनी चाहिए। मैथ क्यूरोसिटी के बहुत जगह है घर पर होने वाली बातचीत मैं Homeschoolers मैं Math Curiosity पैदा करने के लिए हम भी प्राइमरी के बच्चों के साथ काम और कोशिशें कर रहे हैं

  • @shlomisass7892
    @shlomisass7892 4 года назад +3

    An interesting fact:
    In many of Jewish schools, math teachers use the plus symbol without the bottom part because the similarity to the Christian cross.

  • @conquesotador
    @conquesotador 3 года назад

    Found this while working on a discussion board post. This is so cool!

  • @yuuki6360
    @yuuki6360 7 лет назад +13

    This is why math is so much easier than people actually say

  • @notthatntg
    @notthatntg 2 года назад

    The way I see a division sign is that the line broke a larger dot into two, which is the whole idea of division ("breaking" a number into smaller parts).

  • @andreiiaz2097
    @andreiiaz2097 4 года назад +6

    Wonderful explanation. 😁
    Just a crazy idea, but what if the exclamation mark is just PERFECT for factorial, because it looks like an "all until this point" ( ! ) and that's just what factorial IS.

  • @cipherxen2
    @cipherxen2 4 года назад +1

    Video title : Where do math symbols come from?
    Actual Video : Why do we use math symbols?

  • @damianshaw764
    @damianshaw764 7 лет назад +7

    Never been so early - don't know what to say

    • @Zer0-0
      @Zer0-0 7 лет назад

      Damian Shaw
      Me neither

  • @ribhusethi8073
    @ribhusethi8073 4 года назад

    Love these animations!!!

  • @unneccry2222
    @unneccry2222 7 лет назад +3

    3:25 167 i chose 7 iluminaty confirmed

  • @m10domedia
    @m10domedia 5 лет назад +1

    The aliens at the end looked SO CUTE! ^W^

  • @dkpsyhog
    @dkpsyhog 7 лет назад +21

    I liketh thy video.

  • @maxresdefault_
    @maxresdefault_ 4 года назад +1

    I like to imaging the division sign was picked because it’s two dots with a line dividing it like a wall.

  • @Eric-oq3ek
    @Eric-oq3ek 7 лет назад +15

    I have a question. My uncle said that if we ever get to meet any aliens, we most likely wouldn't be able to communicate with them. However, he said that the only thing that would be comparable between humans and aliens would be math. Is this true?

    • @DemRat
      @DemRat 7 лет назад +8

      We simply don't know enough about how intelligent life forms could operate to properly answer that question.
      Simply by taking a different set of fundamental axioms, their maths could be completely different from ours. (Not in what their results are, but in how they get there.)
      Likewise, their language might be as translateable as our languages are just by chance. We have no way to tell until we acually meet any aliens.

    • @nikyabodigital
      @nikyabodigital 7 лет назад +7

      Not Math. It's Science. There are things that are really universal . And that is the Elements in the Periodic Table. That would definitely become the basis for us to make another universal language

    • @getlowpapoose
      @getlowpapoose 7 лет назад +3

      Probably. Assuming that alien life is intelligent, they would almost certainly have some form of numerical system. That is something that we have in common. Mathematics is a universal language, in that sense.

    • @nothingbutastupidshit4039
      @nothingbutastupidshit4039 7 лет назад +4

      The mathematics may not look even remotely similar in any way but the basic principles would be similar. Obviously, they'd use far different symbols to represent their numerical systems, operators & etc.
      The likelihood of them even looking somewhat similar is extremely small. Probably under 0.1%.

    • @noahwilliams8996
      @noahwilliams8996 7 лет назад +1

      That depends on how intelligent they are.

  • @_aidid
    @_aidid 7 лет назад

    This video is supposed to be telling about the history about the mathematical signs were devised but this mainly showed how they are used.

  • @rodrigoernestomarquezlopez9751
    @rodrigoernestomarquezlopez9751 4 года назад +3

    OH TED ED... You NEVER disappoint in the obscure or mundane things that You exposed the truth of... And so i AM so proud of... Keep up the good work!!!!😉

  • @PerpetualPrograstinator
    @PerpetualPrograstinator 4 года назад

    If Aliens ever come to earth, they won't be speaking English. They would speak in math.

  • @swoogles6353
    @swoogles6353 7 лет назад +16

    The person who commented first is the one that commented before watching the whole vid

    • @crackawood
      @crackawood 7 лет назад +3

      Tsumi Okumura the person who commented first felt really good about himself for virtually no justifiable reason

    • @swoogles6353
      @swoogles6353 7 лет назад

      jwoods
      I guess so

  • @ShubhamJadhav0
    @ShubhamJadhav0 4 года назад +2

    4:04 that escalated quickly 👽

  • @emmah1408
    @emmah1408 7 лет назад +23

    I like math

    • @emmah1408
      @emmah1408 7 лет назад +1

      Arta Etemadi nah a lot of ppl in me school like math too

    • @MJEducation1
      @MJEducation1 7 лет назад +1

      Drage dk
      Cool!

    • @yomama4748
      @yomama4748 7 лет назад

      Drage dk says no one

    • @emmah1408
      @emmah1408 7 лет назад +2

      Samuel Crane nah asian

    • @emmah1408
      @emmah1408 7 лет назад +1

      Yo Mama i do

  • @valquiriabarboza2167
    @valquiriabarboza2167 Год назад

    Sigma,delta,pi are greek letters and A,B,C,D,X,Y are original letters as know symbols

  • @QW22312
    @QW22312 7 лет назад +10

    00:57 you mean Latin letters.

  • @ThePiMan0903
    @ThePiMan0903 2 года назад +1

    Very nice video TED-Ed!

  • @rajanibokolia8740
    @rajanibokolia8740 5 лет назад +6

    Love it ! I am a 6 th student girl I like the videos of ted ed I always enjoy it , please make a video of India ' s history on ted ed . 😉🙂

  • @jonni2734
    @jonni2734 6 лет назад +1

    Really good video!!