3 ms·
I would argue though that the torque example is a particularly problematic symbol conflict as any equations involving torque are by definition going to include
by TheBurningOr 16y ago
I would argue though that the torque example is a particularly problematic symbol conflict as any equations involving torque are by definition going to include many, many references to the circle constant. Yes there are other symbol conflicts in math, but usually they are separated by logical fields (you generally are not doing using e when dealing with the charge of an electron constant (except in the case that you are dealing with magnitude of the electric field as a function of distance) and even when you are, it is hardly a problem because you never use the natural logarithmic constant except as a power function).
I think the appropriate change here though would be to change the symbol for torque to say, 'q' or something. Probably not going to happen, but wouldn't be as much of an issue.
- samatman 16y agoI would suggest a change to uppercase Gamma, which looks like a T, kinda. Also, it has always struck me as a looking kind of like a moment arm. Something like this is bound to happen if mathematics pedagogy moves to tau as the circle constant, which it should. The math department has no motivation to respect physics convention, and the physics department will just have to get in line, eventually.
- graywh 16y agoOr physicists/engineers will do their own thing, as seen by using j = sqrt(-1). Also, uppercase gamma is already used, too. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_function http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_function
- samatman 16y agoGranted, but interference with mechanical torque is unlikely. Greek letters are pretty polysemantic in the context of maths and physics.