>But that's just overloaded syntax, isn't it? We're concerned with real numbers here. Yes, you're 100% correct, I was just giving an example for why it's natur

>But that's just overloaded syntax, isn't it? We're concerned with real numbers here. Yes, you're 100% correct, I was just giving an example for why it's natural for some (me included) to think of sqrt(x) as a solution set, I suppose. >My point is that it doesn't mask the actual mathematics any more than the regular notation already does. Which also is a problem, but not the one at hand. Well, the normal notation is a little confusing yes, but the new notation makes it worse -- they propose marrying the principal sqrt function, which makes an arbitrary choice and drops information, to the log and exponential function, which both do not over R, and for which the exponential function does not over C. At least we teach three separate concepts and then unify them later as best as we can, as opposed to trying to pretend they are all the same.