Re:Ask HN: Why is math so obsessed with ancient syntax and f...
by gus_massa on Wednesday December 05, 2012 @09:02AM
(#4876248)
An important difference is that to operate with the term is much easier to use short names. If a term is adding in the right side of a equation, and you want to put it on the other side subtracting, you must copy all the equation (and Ctr-C Ctr-V doesn't work in paper.)
A typical program is written one, read a few times (perhaps years later) and executed many times.
A typical math calculation is typed once and read only a few times (a few minutes later) and discarded ("archived").
In the draft, I usually find myself replacing sin(x) and cos(x) by s and c, because it's only a little calculations and in the following 10 minutes I will remember what it means and there is no other s or c in sight and I get bored of writing all the letters.
A typical program is written one, read a few times (perhaps years later) and executed many times.
A typical math calculation is typed once and read only a few times (a few minutes later) and discarded ("archived").
In the draft, I usually find myself replacing sin(x) and cos(x) by s and c, because it's only a little calculations and in the following 10 minutes I will remember what it means and there is no other s or c in sight and I get bored of writing all the letters.