X and Y, who determined these letters?
I realize that X and Y are relatively popular terms when wanting to use a placeholder. My question is what is the origin of this term and why was it X and Y, why not the other letters?
meaning
asked 2 hours ago
Sweet_Cherry
1719
add a comment |
I realize that X and Y are relatively popular terms when wanting to use a placeholder. My question is what is the origin of this term and why was it X and Y, why not the other letters?
meaning
asked 2 hours ago
Sweet_Cherry
1719
add a comment |
I realize that X and Y are relatively popular terms when wanting to use a placeholder. My question is what is the origin of this term and why was it X and Y, why not the other letters?
meaning
asked 2 hours ago
Sweet_Cherry
1719
I realize that X and Y are relatively popular terms when wanting to use a placeholder. My question is what is the origin of this term and why was it X and Y, why not the other letters?
meaning
meaning
asked 2 hours ago
Sweet_Cherry
1719
asked 2 hours ago
Sweet_Cherry
1719
asked 2 hours ago
Sweet_Cherry
1719
asked 2 hours ago
Sweet_Cherry
1719
asked 2 hours ago
Sweet_Cherry
1719
1719
add a comment |
add a comment |
2 Answers
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They became popular because of René Descartes’ usage in his La Géométrie. The letters at the end of the alphabet are chosen as the variables, while those at the beginning are constants. There is speculation about why this might have been done. It is likely to allow the largest number of sequential letters without overlap between the two sets.
Why x became the most common is unknown. Some sources attempt to draw a line from the Arabic word for unknown through the Greek letter chi (which resembles a capital X), but the claims are unsubstantiated. (Arabic being the source of our numerals and Greek being the common letter set for variables.
The link from mathematics to common speech is likely just a simple repurposing of known concepts.
answered 1 hour ago
Ian MacDonald
2,894816
add a comment |
See Earliest uses of mathematical symbols, which quotes
F. Cajori, A History of Mathematical Notations, 2 volumes (1928-29)
The use of z, y, x ... to represent unknowns is due to René Descartes, in his La géometrie (1637). Without comment, he introduces the use of the first letters of the alphabet to signify known quantities and the use of the last letters to signify unknown quantities.
answered 1 hour ago
GEdgar
13.2k22043
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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2 Answers
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They became popular because of René Descartes’ usage in his La Géométrie. The letters at the end of the alphabet are chosen as the variables, while those at the beginning are constants. There is speculation about why this might have been done. It is likely to allow the largest number of sequential letters without overlap between the two sets.
Why x became the most common is unknown. Some sources attempt to draw a line from the Arabic word for unknown through the Greek letter chi (which resembles a capital X), but the claims are unsubstantiated. (Arabic being the source of our numerals and Greek being the common letter set for variables.
The link from mathematics to common speech is likely just a simple repurposing of known concepts.
answered 1 hour ago
Ian MacDonald
2,894816
add a comment |
They became popular because of René Descartes’ usage in his La Géométrie. The letters at the end of the alphabet are chosen as the variables, while those at the beginning are constants. There is speculation about why this might have been done. It is likely to allow the largest number of sequential letters without overlap between the two sets.
Why x became the most common is unknown. Some sources attempt to draw a line from the Arabic word for unknown through the Greek letter chi (which resembles a capital X), but the claims are unsubstantiated. (Arabic being the source of our numerals and Greek being the common letter set for variables.
The link from mathematics to common speech is likely just a simple repurposing of known concepts.
answered 1 hour ago
Ian MacDonald
2,894816
add a comment |
They became popular because of René Descartes’ usage in his La Géométrie. The letters at the end of the alphabet are chosen as the variables, while those at the beginning are constants. There is speculation about why this might have been done. It is likely to allow the largest number of sequential letters without overlap between the two sets.
Why x became the most common is unknown. Some sources attempt to draw a line from the Arabic word for unknown through the Greek letter chi (which resembles a capital X), but the claims are unsubstantiated. (Arabic being the source of our numerals and Greek being the common letter set for variables.
The link from mathematics to common speech is likely just a simple repurposing of known concepts.
answered 1 hour ago
Ian MacDonald
2,894816
They became popular because of René Descartes’ usage in his La Géométrie. The letters at the end of the alphabet are chosen as the variables, while those at the beginning are constants. There is speculation about why this might have been done. It is likely to allow the largest number of sequential letters without overlap between the two sets.
Why x became the most common is unknown. Some sources attempt to draw a line from the Arabic word for unknown through the Greek letter chi (which resembles a capital X), but the claims are unsubstantiated. (Arabic being the source of our numerals and Greek being the common letter set for variables.
The link from mathematics to common speech is likely just a simple repurposing of known concepts.
answered 1 hour ago
Ian MacDonald
2,894816
answered 1 hour ago
Ian MacDonald
2,894816
answered 1 hour ago
Ian MacDonald
2,894816
answered 1 hour ago
Ian MacDonald
2,894816
2,894816
add a comment |
add a comment |
See Earliest uses of mathematical symbols, which quotes
F. Cajori, A History of Mathematical Notations, 2 volumes (1928-29)
The use of z, y, x ... to represent unknowns is due to René Descartes, in his La géometrie (1637). Without comment, he introduces the use of the first letters of the alphabet to signify known quantities and the use of the last letters to signify unknown quantities.
answered 1 hour ago
GEdgar
13.2k22043
add a comment |
See Earliest uses of mathematical symbols, which quotes
F. Cajori, A History of Mathematical Notations, 2 volumes (1928-29)
The use of z, y, x ... to represent unknowns is due to René Descartes, in his La géometrie (1637). Without comment, he introduces the use of the first letters of the alphabet to signify known quantities and the use of the last letters to signify unknown quantities.
answered 1 hour ago
GEdgar
13.2k22043
add a comment |
See Earliest uses of mathematical symbols, which quotes
F. Cajori, A History of Mathematical Notations, 2 volumes (1928-29)
The use of z, y, x ... to represent unknowns is due to René Descartes, in his La géometrie (1637). Without comment, he introduces the use of the first letters of the alphabet to signify known quantities and the use of the last letters to signify unknown quantities.
answered 1 hour ago
GEdgar
13.2k22043
See Earliest uses of mathematical symbols, which quotes
F. Cajori, A History of Mathematical Notations, 2 volumes (1928-29)
The use of z, y, x ... to represent unknowns is due to René Descartes, in his La géometrie (1637). Without comment, he introduces the use of the first letters of the alphabet to signify known quantities and the use of the last letters to signify unknown quantities.
answered 1 hour ago
GEdgar
13.2k22043
answered 1 hour ago
GEdgar
13.2k22043
answered 1 hour ago
GEdgar
13.2k22043
answered 1 hour ago
GEdgar
13.2k22043
13.2k22043
add a comment |
add a comment |
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