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Glite Dictionary
parenthesis-free notation

parenthesis-free notation

8.1
A way of writing math expressions that uses the order of math signs instead of extra marks
  • noun
  • /pəˈrɛnθəsɪs friː nɔˈteɪʃən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : notación sin paréntesis
  • Reverse Polish is a parenthesis-free notation commonly used in calculators.

Examples

  • Some programming languages use parenthesis-free notation for arithmetic operations.

  • Learning a parenthesis-free notation can simplify the process of parsing mathematical expressions.

  • The formula was expressed in parenthesis-free notation for simplicity.

  • Can you explain parenthesis-free notation to me?

  • Reverse Polish is a parenthesis-free notation that allows users to enter calculations without needing parentheses.

  • In computer science, using parenthesis-free notation can enhance the clarity of mathematical expressions during evaluations.

  • Many calculators utilize parenthesis-free notation to streamline the input process for complex equations.

Surface Forms

parenthesis-free notation singular
parenthesis-free notations plural

Morphology

parenthesis-free + notation

The phrase is compositionally built from 'parenthesis-free' (i.e., without parentheses) and 'notation' (a system of symbols); a B1 learner who knows 'parenthesis', 'free' and 'notation' can infer that it means a notation without parentheses. The '-free' negation pattern is straightforward and cross-linguistically common, so the meaning is directly derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Parenthesis-free notation comes from a simple idea: write math without the round signs called parentheses. One common method, Reverse Polish, puts numbers before an operation so the order is clear and you do not need 'parentheses', so the name means 'a way of writing expressions without parentheses'.