Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Mathematics/2007 February 18

= February 18 =

Notation confusions with physics and mathematics
I've found that in some of the articles regarding vectors and Hilbert spaces contain the notation of vectors commonly used by physicists rather than mathematicians. I know that there are many ways to represent the same thing, and that the information is still correct, but shouldn't we adhere to one single method? It's hard to switch back and forth, especially when you're trained in pure mathematics and not physics... —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sluzzelin (talk • contribs) 07:25, 18 February 2007 (UTC)


 * Good question, but not one for the reference desk; this is for answering questions about mathematics, not about wikipedia. Unfortunately, I'm not sure where the right place is for this discussion. WikiProject Mathematics might be a good start though. Algebraist 14:21, 18 February 2007 (UTC)
 * This is the right place to ask I think. The reference desks are for questions relating to improvements or otherwise to wikipedia etc.87.102.9.240 15:40, 18 February 2007 (UTC)
 * No, the reference desks are decidedly not for that purpose; in fact, there is no such discussion on this very long page of questions. But in the interests of economy, I can answer this one. Wikipedia doesn't enforce uniformity of spelling, or much of anything else, and there is little chance that we will try to enforce consistence of notation among disciplines. We do try to inform readers when different conventions exist. But if the Brits can deal with seeing "color" instead of "colour", and the Yanks can cope with "centre" instead of "center", surely a bright mathematician can handle the conventions of physics. Mathematics is not all that consistent within itself, as we have discovered in many an article. --KSmrqT 15:53, 18 February 2007 (UTC)
 * Well, I guess the problem is that "centre" and "center" are rather close and easily discernable, but sometimes different notation isn't. A lot of times you can figure it out easily, but I still think consistency is a good idea. Perhaps on the quantum mechanics page the use of the physics notation is desirable, but it seems out of place on the mathematics page. Pure mathematics and physics really are two completely different things...
 * Are you talking about braket notation? &#x2013; b_jonas 18 February 2007


 * No. Articles dealing with physics should use notation conventional to the physics community and likewise for the mathematics community.
 * Well, Hilbert space was an idea created for physics and is most often used in physics instead of mathematics, so I don't see why there is a problem anyway, if that information is correct. [' Mαc Δαvιs '] X ( How's my driving? ) ❖ 07:58, 19 February 2007 (UTC)


 * Everyone, please sign your posts with four tildes (" "), as stated at the top of this page. And those who wish to discuss this further should take the conversation to Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Mathematics. Thanks. --KSmrqT 08:09, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
 * Oh sorry. Sometimes I still forget it.  &#x2013; b_jonas 08:26, 19 February 2007 (UTC)