How are these mathematical expressions read? [closed]

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Hi, can you please help me with reading of these expressions? The first one could be: sum of n plus one above the sum of k plus one? The second: five above two equals five factorial divided by the multiplication of factorial of difference five minus two times two factorial I have no idea with the third. Fourth: x(with comma?) is larger or equal to x(??)

Thanks for help!


These, like most mathematics, are not really meant to be read aloud, and can be read in any language, though with independent traditions. Mathematical language is not limited to any single spoken language, and is only fully part of written language.

Here's how I would say them aloud in English, if I had to.

Peter Shor pointed out that the first two involve binomial coefficients:

  1. "N plus one, choose K plus one"
    (though there are lots of other things it could mean, and therefore other ways to say it)
  2. "Five, choose two, equals factorial five over factorial quantity five minus two, times factorial 2"
    (a rather silly equation, since it's not remotely close to lowest terms;
    and it's also hard to phrase for speaking aloud -- you have to use intonation)

In the second two, the ordering relation takes an optional is; it's not optional in normal English, but it is when speaking formulae:

  1. "A-tilde (is) less than or equal to A-hat"
    (both A-terms are ad hoc, since these aren't mathematical symbols)
  2. "X-prime (is) greater than or equal to X-double-prime"