A partial list of mathematical symbols and how to read them

Greek alphabet A Z , , alpha zeta lambda pi phi B H M P X , beta eta mu rho chi N , , gamma theta nu sigma psi I T delta iota xi tau omega E K O , o epsilon kappa omicron upsilon

Important sets N N+ Z Q R R+ C empty set natural numbers positive integer numbers integer numbers rational numbers real numbers positive real numbers complex numbers {0, 1, 2, . . .} {1, 2, . . .} {. . . , 2, 1, 0, 1, 2, . . .} {m/n : m Z, n N+ } (, +) (0, +) {x + iy : x, y R} (i is the imaginary unit, i2 = 1)

Logical operators ! for all, universal quantier exists, there is, existential quantier there is exactly one and . . . over an index set or . . . over an index set implication, if-then biimplication, if-and-only-if negation, not alternative notations for negation Arithmetic operators || absolute value summation product ! n m mod div factorial n choose m, combinatorial number modulo, remainder integer quotient | 7| = |7| = 7
i = iN+ 2 n i=1 i = n!

n N, n 0 n N, n 7 !n N, n < 1 (3 > 2) (2 > 1)

iN Bi

= B0 B1 B2 = B0 B1 B2

(2 > 3) (2 > 1)
iN Bi

a, b R, (a = b) (a b) a, b R, (a = b) (b = a) (2 > 3) (2 > 3), 2 > 3

7! = 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 = 5040 n m = n! (n m)!m!

7 mod 3 = 1, -8 mod 5 = 2 7 div 3 = 2, -8 div 5 = -2

Set operators \ 2A in, membership union . . . over an index set intersection . . . over an index set dierence strict superset superset strict subset subset power set of A a {a, b, c} {a, b, c} {a, d} = {a, b, c, d}
iN Si

= S0 S1 S2 = S0 S1 S2

{a, b, c} {a, d} = {a}

iN Si

{a, b, c} \ {a, d} = {b, c} ZN NN NZ NN if A = {a, b, c}, then 2A = {, {a}, {b}, {c}, {a, b}, {a, c}, {b, c}, A}

String, grammar, and formal language notation

+

empty string (at times, is used instead of ) Kleene star, zero or more occurrences one or more occurrences string length A goes to x (grammar production) A derives x A derives x in some number of steps A derives x according to G A derives x according to G in some number of steps (q, aa) yields (p, a) in one step (q, aa) yields (p, a) in some number of steps (q, aa) yields (p, a) in one step according to M (q, aa) yields (p, a) in some number of steps according to M the Turing machine M halts on string w the Turing machine does not M halt on string w

a = a a = {, a, aa, aaa, . . .} a+ = {a, aa, aaa, . . .} |abc| = 3, |an | = n, || = 0

|| Ax A = x A = x A = x x A = G (q, aa) (p, a)

G

(q, aa) (p, a) (q, aa) (p, a) M (q, aa) (p, a)

M

M w M w

And remember... 0! = 1 n Z, m N, m > 0 n = (n div m)m + (n mod m)

i Si i ni i ni

= =0 =1

A L TEXsource available at http://www.cs.ucr.edu/~ciardo/teaching/Notation.tex