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Printer's Errors

Typesetting ``errors'' in which exponents or multiplication signs are omitted but the resulting expression is equivalent to the original one. Examples include

\begin{displaymath}
2^5 9^2=2592
\end{displaymath}


\begin{displaymath}
3^4 425=34425
\end{displaymath}


\begin{displaymath}
31^2 325=312325
\end{displaymath}


\begin{displaymath}
2^5\cdot {\textstyle{25\over 31}}=25 {\textstyle{25\over 31}},
\end{displaymath}

where a whole number followed by a fraction is interpreted as addition (e.g., $1 {\textstyle{1\over 2}}=1+{\textstyle{1\over 2}}={\textstyle{3\over 2}}$).

See also Anomalous Cancellation


References

Dudeney, H. E. Amusements in Mathematics. New York: Dover, 1970.

Madachy, J. S. Madachy's Mathematical Recreations. New York: Dover, pp. 174-175, 1979.




© 1996-9 Eric W. Weisstein
1999-05-26