How Is It Done In Other Countries?

[sepultallica]

how is math performed in other countries where english isnt the primary language? math has some tricky stuff and i cant picture calculus in anything other than numbers. obviously numbers but does anyone know what im refering to?

 

also, how does the language and typing aspect of computers work in lets say, china? dont they have like a 2000 character alphabet?

[Nalos Surith]

I would think its all practially the same, we all use the standard 1,2,3,4,5...numbering system so I would think that math over all is generally similar. And in the computer field I believe its no differant with the programming.

[bloodhound]

mathematics is a universal language. english doesnt come into it. what matter is that your consistent in your use of notation.

[savethegibbons]

I cannot comment on China, but in Japan they pretty much use standard keyboards with extra buttons. They can either use modifier keys to type in hiragana (a 46 char alphabet I think), but I believe they mostly input directly with latin chars, and if the katakana (the other, other alphabet) or hiragana modes are set, then the OS interprets them phonetically and converts them on the fly. They can then use buttons like space to convert the hiragana into kanji, which are the 2000 chinese characters you refer to.

 

The maths and programming are handled the same as in the USA.

[alt_f13]

Man, that post was a quote for the best quotes ever thread.

[sepultallica]

so everyone pretty much uses the traditional numbering system of 1 2 3 4...?

 

i also heard that english was more or less the universal language or something like that.

[Auburngirl05]

I've noticed at my school that the foreign exchange students are almost invariably a lot more comfortable in math classes than subjects like history, literature, etc, the reasons being pretty obvious I guess, numbers are one thing they don't have to translate. There's a chinese girl in my AP Calculus class that speaks almost no English, but she always has one of the top grades in the class.

 

Does anyone know of a language/community that uses anything other{/I} than the common 1, 2, 3 numberical system? (I'm not being a smartass, genuine question, I couldn't think of one but I thought someone better educated might).

[sepultallica]

I've noticed at my school that the foreign exchange students are almost invariably a lot more comfortable in math classes than subjects like history' date=' literature, etc, the reasons being pretty obvious I guess, numbers are one thing they don't have to translate. There's a chinese girl in my AP Calculus class that speaks almost no English, but she always has one of the top grades in the class.

 

Does anyone know of a language/community that uses anything [i']other{/I} than the common 1, 2, 3 numberical system? (I'm not being a smartass, genuine question, I couldn't think of one but I thought someone better educated might).

 

 

the only thing that even remotely comes to mind is roman numerals.

[JaKiri]

Many communities do not use the arabic method of counting, but by and large they are ones from history, or ones that are not in global communication.

[alt_f13]

Many communities do not use the arabic method of counting, but by and large they are ones from history, or ones that are not in global communication.

 

Like Texas.

[Severian]

mathematics is a universal language. english doesnt come into it.

 

That isn't very true. go look at the mathematics boards here and you will see what I mean. They use a lot of words...

[TimeTraveler]

Alot of the symbols used in mathematics do not originate from english either, many are greek symbols and others.

[ydoaPs]

i THINK most indoeuropean language-speaking countries use arabic numerals. as for non-indoeuropean, i am pretty sure that they have different systems.

[Guest Ecto-1]

Like Texas.

 

nothin wrong with using your fingers and toes. and tooth.

[[Tycho?]]

That isn't very true. go look at the mathematics boards here and you will see what I mean. They use a lot of words...

 

The words used to explain mathematics are not mathematics. You could teach someone different aspects of math with using no language at all, just standard notation. It would be trickier, and more time consuming, but it can be done.