explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

2614: 2

2022-05-02T23:39:59Z

Fred the Oyster: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2614
| date = May 2, 2022
| title = 2
| image = 2.png
| titletext = It's like sigma summation notation, except instead of summing the argument over all values of i, you 2 the argument over all values of 2.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by 6b6t.org - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This demonstrates the different ways in which the number 2 can be typeset in various scientific fields.

The number 2 on its own is regular math. The dotted box represents any character. The number 2 as a superscript means take the second power (i.e., square whatever precedes it) in physics or regular math, while in normal text a superscript 2 is usually used to indicate a footnote. The number 2 as a subscript can be used, in chemistry, to show how many atoms of a particular element are present in a molecule (e.g., H<sub>2</sub>O). A subscript 2;2 shows the second element on the second row of a matrix. The number 2 in parenthesis would normally be the argument to a function (e.g., f(2)), but in group theory the number 2 in parenthesis could indicate a cyclic subgroup or ideal generated by two or a special case of cycle notation for elements of symmetry groups used to mean an element that keeps 2 fixed{{citation needed}}. A symbol centred underneath another symbol is normally reserved for doing summations, where the big symbol is Σ, or some other operation applied to a sequence of numbers; it does not make sense to have a single number there, as indicated in the alt text.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

[An apparently scientific expression:]
2 [superscript:] 2 [subscript:] 2 [normal text:] an empty box [superscript:] 2 [subscript:] 2;2 [normal text:] (2) [beneath the last 2:] 2

{{comic discussion}}

2614: 2

2022-05-02T23:36:20Z

Fred the Oyster: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2614
| date = May 2, 2022
| title = 2
| image = 2.png
| titletext = It's like sigma summation notation, except instead of summing the argument over all values of i, you 2 the argument over all values of 2.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by 6b6t.org - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This demonstrates the different ways in which the number 2 can be typeset in various scientific fields.

The number 2 on its own is regular math. The dotted box represents any character. The number 2 as a superscript means take the second power (i.e., square whatever precedes it) in physics or regular math, while in normal text a superscript 2 is usually used to indicate a footnote. The number 2 as a subscript can be used, in chemistry, to show how many atoms of a particular element are present in a molecule (e.g., H<sub>2</sub>O). A subscript 2,2 shows the second element on the second row of a matrix. The number 2 in parenthesis is the argument to a function (or something else in group theory{{citation needed}}). A symbol centred underneath another symbol is normally reserved for doing summations, where the big symbol is a capital sigma, or other combinations of operations; it does not make sense to have a single number there, as indicated in the alt text.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

[An apparently scientific expression:]
2 [superscript:] 2 [subscript:] 2 [normal text:] an empty box [superscript:] 2 [subscript:] 2;2 [normal text:] (2) [beneath the last 2:] 2

{{comic discussion}}

2614: 2

2022-05-02T23:09:03Z

Fred the Oyster: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2614
| date = May 2, 2022
| title = 2
| image = 2.png
| titletext = It's like sigma summation notation, except instead of summing the argument over all values of i, you 2 the argument over all values of 2.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by 2 squared - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

2 is a number.{{citation needed}}

This demonstrates the different ways in which the number 2 can be typeset in various scientific fields.

The number 2 on its own is regular math. The dotted box represents any character. The number 2 as a superscript means take the second power (i.e., square whatever precedes it) in physics or regular math. The number 2 as a subscript can be used, in chemistry, to show how many atoms of a particular element are present in a molecule. A subscript 2;2 shows the second element on the second row of a matrix. The number 2 in parenthesis is the argument to a function (or something else{{citation needed}} in group theory). A symbol centred underneath another symbol is normally reserved for doing summations, where the big symbol is a capital sigma, or other combinations of operations; it does not make sense to have a single number there, as indicated in the alt text.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

{{comic discussion}}