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1.10.8 Other Mathematical Notation
Mathematica supports an extremely wide range of mathematical notation, although often it does not assign a pre-defined meaning to it. Thus, for example, you can enter an expression such as x  y, but Mathematica will not initially make any assumption about what you mean by  .
Mathematica knows that  is an operator, but it does not initially assign any specific meaning to it.
In[1]:= {17  5, 8 3}
Out[1]= 
This gives Mathematica a definition for what the  operator does.
In[2]:= x_ y_ := Mod[x + y, 2]
Now Mathematica can evaluate  operations.
In[3]:= {17 5, 8 3}
Out[3]= 
A few of the operators whose input is supported by Mathematica.
Mathematica assigns built-in meanings to  and  , but not to  or  .
In[4]:= {3  4, 3  4, 3  4, 3  4}
Out[4]= 
There are some forms which look like characters on a standard keyboard, but which are interpreted in a different way by Mathematica. Thus, for example, \[Backslash] or  \ displays as \ but is not interpreted in the same way as a \ typed directly on the keyboard.
The  and  characters used here are different from the \ and ^ you would type directly on a keyboard.
In[5]:= {a \ b, a ^ b}
Out[5]= 
Most operators work like  and go in between their operands. But some operators can go in other places. Thus, for example, < and > or \[LeftAngleBracket] and \[RightAngleBracket] are effectively operators which go around their operand.
The elements of the angle bracket operator go around their operand.
In[6]:= \[LeftAngleBracket] 1 + x \[RightAngleBracket]
Out[6]= 
Some additional letters and letter-like forms.
You can use letters and letter-like forms anywhere in symbol names.
In[7]:= {  , \[Angle]ABC}
Out[7]= 
 is assumed to be a symbol, and so is just multiplied by a and b.
In[8]:= a b
Out[8]= 
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