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# What does $mean? +1 449 4 Often I see terms attached to$ signs in questions.  What does it mean?  I can't find any explanation on the internet.

This question is an example:  https://web2.0calc.com/questions/help-please_79935

Apr 17, 2019

#1
+25993
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Often I see terms attached to $signs in questions. What does it mean? I can't find any explanation on the internet. This question is an example: https://web2.0calc.com/questions/help-please_79935$Math-Modus$in LaTeX https://web2.0calc.com/questions/help-please_79935 : Right$\triangle ABC$has hypotenuse$AB$. Square$BCDE$has$BC$as one of its sides. Suppose that the area of$BCDE$is a prime number. If$AB$and$AC$are each integers less than$20$, how many possibilities are there for their lengths? Means: Apr 17, 2019 #2 +1 Thank you for responding, heureka. But I still don't understand. What do the$ actually MEAN?

If we're just supposed to ignore them, then WHY are they there in the first place?

I went as high as calculus in college and I've never seen this sort of terminology until I came here.

Guest Apr 17, 2019
#3
+25993
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What does $mean? heureka Apr 18, 2019 #4 +113783 +2 Thanks Heureka, This is a good question guest. When we write in maths language here, or on any internet site, we use LaTex coding. There is a LaTex box in the ribbon. When we write questions we open it up and put our LaTex coding in there. Here is an example. I can say 3+1/2 (that is if I am not using Latex coding) Or I can write $$3\frac{1}{2}$$ if I am using the coding. To get the coding to dispay i opened the LaTex box and typed in 3\frac{1}{2} and then I pressed ok. In some sites the coding is designated by being enclosed in$ signs.

So in some sites, instead of opening the latex box and typing    3\frac{1}{2}   in the box and hitting ok.    They just type what they want straight  in with the rest of their post BUT to indicate that they want it to be interpreted (by the computer) as LaTex they surround it in $signs like this.$3\frac{1}{2}$When lazy people copy their question from an internet site that does it this way they get the$ as well as the code and the normal script as well.

They just copy it and paste it straight in there.

So

Right $\triangle ABC$ has hypotenuse $AB$. Square $BCDE$ has $BC$ as one of its sides. Suppose that the area of $BCDE$ is a prime number. If $AB$ and $AC$ are each integers less than $20$, how many possibilities are there for their lengths?

If the asker was not so lazy they would have removed the dollar signs to get.

Right \triangle ABC has hypotenuse AB. Square BCDE has BC as one of its sides. Suppose that the area of BCDE is a prime number. If AB and AC are each integers less than 20, how many possibilities are there for their lengths?

Most of this now looks fine the only bit that really needs to be put into the LaTex box is     \triangle

So I am going to highlight \triangle and then open the LaTex box and copy it in. Then I will press ok and see what happens

Right $$\triangle$$ ABC has hypotenuse AB. Square BCDE has BC as one of its sides. Suppose that the area of BCDE is a prime number. If AB and AC are each integers less than 20, how many possibilities are there for their lengths?

See, when I did this the \triangle    turned into a picture of a triangle.

I hope that is a little clearer.

Apr 18, 2019
edited by Melody  Apr 18, 2019