RPN Tutorial in retro style

[r. pienne]

(07-20-2014 12:57 PM)Marcus von Cube Wrote:  

(07-20-2014 12:48 PM)r. pienne Wrote:  In the paragraph "What is the correct way to calculate 6 : 2 × (1 + 2) ?" a colon is used throughout to represent division, which I have never seen before.

This is how I learned division at school. It must be a European thing.

Hmmm ... ÷ and / were the only division symbols I ever learned (in Ireland, Europe). A colon is used to denote ratios, however.

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colon_%28p..._and_logic : "In some languages (e.g. German), the colon is the mainly used sign for division (instead of ÷)." And https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obelus has this to say about the ÷ sign: "The usage of the obelus to represent subtraction continued in some parts of Europe (including Norway and, until fairly recently, Denmark)".

Fair enough, must admit it's not causing German cars to fall apart. :-)