14 votes

How to read mathematics out loud?

For basic mathematics, I’ve found some answers in the Institutiones Physicæ by Floriani Dalham, published in 1752: 1+2 = 3 would be read unus plus duo sunt tres Additio est duorum, vel plurium ...
  • 2,252
14 votes
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How would you translate “playing with prime numbers” into Latin?

If, as I believe, the sentence stands as the theme of the website you should use the infinitive ludere instead of the participle ludens. The latter means "who plays/is playing". As for "with prime ...
12 votes
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How was perpendicularity expressed in classical Latin?

You're right to look at Vitruvius for this. The best expression in Latin for "perpendicular" is actually the Greek πρὸς ὀρθᾶς, as Vitruvius uses in 9.7. Itaque in quibuscumque locis ...
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12 votes
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Is this word "manuducant" a typo or an obscure word?

Manuductio (verb: manuduco) is a late Latin word that literally means, "leading by the hand." See, for instance, "Mind Forming and Manuductio in Aquinas" (pay-wall protected), ...
  • 37.8k
11 votes

Where to find ancient mathematics in Latin?

The French national library has been scanning a lot of material throughout the years, available on their website Gallica. Using their advanced search tool we can narrow down to works in Latin about ...
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10 votes
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"With respect to" in mathematics

There is one word that seems to fit the bill: quoad. Although this word has a temporal ("as long as") and spatial ("as far as") meaning, Lewis and Short also gives the following meaning: B.3: With ...
  • 37.8k
10 votes

Latin phrase, modelled on "horror vacui", for the fear of "equality"?

In linguistics there is a term horror aequi, referring to a tendency to word sentences so as to avoid repeating the same grammatical structure consecutively or nearly consecutively. This term was ...
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10 votes
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Latin phrase, modelled on "horror vacui", for the fear of "equality"?

Your translation horror aequalitatis is great! When something is feared, the something is in genitive — an objective genitive. Therefore aequalitatis is correctly declined. The hardest question ...
9 votes
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What is the correct Latin prefix for 'two-and-a-half-times'?

There is a very common word in Latin that literally means "two and a half": sestertium, -i. This comes from semis + tertius, the idea being (I suppose) that it is "half-way to three [from two]." This ...
  • 37.8k
9 votes

Where to find ancient mathematics in Latin?

Boetius's Arithmetica is one example, from around 500 AD. See the manuscript, the text, or a summary. The book provided a Latin version of Nichomachus’s Arithmetica (which was in Greek from around ...
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8 votes
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Phrasing "it remains to"

The impersonal verb superest is regularly used for 'it remains (to)'/'all that remains is (to)': either superest ut + subjunctive, or quod superest. superest ut ad extremas partes corporis ueniam, ...
  • 18.5k
8 votes
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Substantivization of "continuum"

I guess it would be something like hypothesis continui. Alternatively, it could also be rendered as hypothesis de continuo. Note that noun-noun compounds like "continuum hypothesis" or "string theory"...
  • 6,810
8 votes
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compass and straightedge in ancient Greek?

Straightedge = κανών /ka:no:n/ Compass = διαβήτης /diabe:te:s/ These are etymologically the same as English “canon” and “diabetes” (the disease) respectively, so if you want an “English” ...
  • 16.7k
8 votes
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What does “per se praeclarissima videtur” mean when talking about a difficult problem?

The clause of interest, with all decorations removed, is: Natura numerorum primorum per se praeclarissima videtur. It is not unusual for a cum clause to be inserted in the middle of another clause. ...
7 votes
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The logical "then"

Option 1: sequitur, ut Browsing L&S I came to the entry on the verb sequor, meaning II.B.4, that reads: In logical conclusions, to follow, ensue; with subject-clause, especially with ut. And ...
  • 10.8k
7 votes

What are the Latin translations of the mathematical terms differentiating, integrating and parameterizing?

It helps that differential calculus was invented at a time when mathematical works were still regularly published in Latin. From Leonhard Euler's Institutiones Calculi Differentialis (1755), caput IV, ...
7 votes
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Translating a reflexive pronoun in a sentence with accusative

If a verb has both a reflexive pronoun and an accusative object, it has effectively two accusative objects. That is not so uncommon in Latin – quite a few verbs take a “double accusative.” Some are a ...
6 votes
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A phrase of L. Euler on functions

If I get you right, the part you have trouble with is the one starting with unde, right? The translation seems clumsy to me. Euler is explaining the notation he will use for functions. unde: hence/...
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6 votes
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What is a digit?

As you say, the concept of digits is only meaningful if you are using Indian/Arabic numbers. These became known in Latin Europe by the 12th century, and with them the use of “digitus” for the numbers ...
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6 votes
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Superscript/suffix "ti"

Judging by context, it must be an ordinal number in genitive. It seems that Gauss would translate "nth" from English to Latin as "ntus". This makes sense, given how many ordinals look: quartus, ...
6 votes

How to read mathematics out loud?

Partial answer! As far as I can tell, most mathematical discourse would be done in Greek. Latin was used for engineering purposes, but speaking unambiguously about mathematics became rather awkward. ...
  • 58k
6 votes

"If and only if"

I think the phrase neque aliter would fit. as in si, neque aliter fieri potest. . . . Neque aliter has plenty of precedents, easily found by googling, including some classical (e.g. in Cic. pro Sest. ...
  • 17.8k
6 votes

How were fractions written and pronounced?

Fractions were written, as you might expect, using Roman numerals. This wasn't particularly elegant for anything more complex than adding and subtracting, but it worked great for commerce, and that ...
  • 58k
6 votes

What is the relationship between "cut off" and "X-coordinate"?

While Etymonline isn't particularly reliable (and has a strong aversion to citing any sources), this line almost has it right: The Latin word translates Greek apolambanomene. It's a calqued Greek ...
  • 58k
6 votes

What is the most modern calculus book in Latin?

This might be way older that you would like, but at least it is a concrete example. Euler's Introductio in analysin infinitorum from 1748 is a relatively modern calculus book. Euler came up with much ...
6 votes
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Is this double accusative or hyperbaton or something else?

Congratulations on your, for one month (!), very impressive progress. You have chosen a highly unusual but excellent reason for learning the language. I would not translate tradit as “relates to” but ...
6 votes
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How to say that a mathematical curve contains a point?

Since you seemed to be open to Draconis' suggestions, I gather you are not wed to the set-theory idea of a line "containing" a point and are just looking for a way to say the point is on the ...
5 votes

Phrasing "it remains to"

Why not simply say restat demonstrare, or restat ut demonstremus? It was good enough for Cicero, e.g. restat ut summa negligentia tibi obstiterit. (Quint. XII, end). In more recent Latin, you might ...
  • 17.8k
5 votes

A phrase of L. Euler on functions

To complement Rafael's excellent answer, here's my own translation. The original, as copied from above: Huiusmodi functiones arbitrarias, prouti hic feci, eiusmodi signandi modo f:y indicabo, unde ...
  • 58k
5 votes

A phrase of L. Euler on functions

videtur usually means "it seems," but it can also mean "it seems good," which appears to be the case here. senatui videtur means "the Senate decides" (literally, "it seems good to the Senate"). The ...

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