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Where do math symbols come from? - John David Walters

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Math is full of symbols: lines, dots, arrows, English letters, Greek letters, superscripts, subscripts ... it can look like an illegible jumble. Where did all of these symbols come from? John David Walters shares the origins of mathematical symbols, and illuminates why they’re still so important in the field today.

What are some sources of new mathematical symbols that have been widely used?

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator John David Walters
  • Director Chris Bishop
  • Script Editor Eleanor Nelsen
  • Animator Chris Bishop
  • Associate Producer Jessica Ruby
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Narrator Addison Anderson

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