Wordsmith Talk |
About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us | |||
Register Log In Wordsmith.org Forums General Topics Q&A about words Another math term oddity.
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
OP Never thought about it before, but it's mildly amusing.
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=integral
Integral comes from the Latin meaning "forming a whole."
Integer is from the Latin "integer" which means "whole," BUT the "whole numbers" are not the same as the Integers. Rather, they are a subset of the Integers.
N = Set of Natural numbers = {1, 2, 3, ... }
W = Whole numbers = Natural #s plus 0 = {0, 1, 2, 3, ... }
I = Integers = { ..., -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, ... }
Some books use "J" instead of "I" to represent the Integers. Usually, books use a typeface called "blackboard bold" (just looked it up) with letters that represent sets. I note without evidence or explanation that the meanings of the terms "whole number" and "natural number" may have changed in the last 40 or 50 years.
Entire Thread Subject Posted By Posted Another math term oddity. TheFallibleFiend 11/09/10 05:50 PM Re: Another math term oddity. Faldage 11/09/10 11:41 PM Re: Another math term oddity. TheFallibleFiend 11/10/10 12:45 AM Re: Another math term oddity. olly 11/10/10 03:07 AM Re: Another math term oddity. Faldage 11/10/10 01:15 PM Re: Another math term oddity. olly 11/11/10 02:17 AM Re: Another math term oddity. TheFallibleFiend 11/10/10 02:18 PM Re: Another math term oddity. tsuwm 11/10/10 03:32 PM Re: Another math term oddity. Faldage 11/10/10 04:15 PM Re: Another math term oddity. TheFallibleFiend 11/10/10 05:26 PM Re: Another math term oddity. TheFallibleFiend 11/10/10 09:00 PM
Moderated by Jackie
Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics Forums16Topics13,913Posts229,347Members9,182 Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members Ineffable, ddrinnan, TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV
9,182 Registered Users
Who's Online Now 0 members (), 780 guests, and 0 robots. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days) A C Bowden 21ddrinnan 1
Top Posters wwh 13,858Faldage 13,803Jackie 11,613wofahulicodoc 10,548tsuwm 10,542LukeJavan8 9,918Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210AnnaStrophic 6,511Wordwind 6,296of troy 5,400
Forum Rules · Mark All Read Contact Us · Forum Help · Wordsmith.org