Sciencemadness Discussion Board

checkmark symbol

soma - 29-11-2016 at 00:04

Is this a symbol in chemistry or math?

checkmark_zpsfi7j8kkw.png - 885B

DrP - 29-11-2016 at 02:31

Neither really - it is called a 'tick' or a 'checkmark'

It is the mark used by people that are checking lists or work to indicate that what is written is correct or has been checked. You can use it to tick things off a list once they have been done.

Teachers use it to indicate a correct answer and they use a cross 'x' to indicate something is wrong. It has no mathematical or chemical meaning afaik.

Ozone - 29-11-2016 at 11:20

It also looks like a short-hand version of "square root."

CharlieA - 29-11-2016 at 19:27

Quote: Originally posted by Ozone  
It also looks like a short-hand version of "square root."


I second the motion!
A checkmark looks more like a "v" with one leg longer than the other.

DrP - 30-11-2016 at 01:20

I see where you are coming from with the square root symbol - but the question wasn't 'what is this symbol' it was ' what is the checkmark used for in chem and maths' (well that's how I understood it). The checkmark, I assume is what guys in the USA call a tick (the Nike symbol) and as far as I am aware that symbol has no meaning in maths or chemistry... but I will be happy to be taught otherwise.

DrP - 30-11-2016 at 04:01

Lets get clarification from the OP... Soma, do you mean a tick(checkmark) or a square root symbol?

Chlorine - 30-11-2016 at 06:40

A check mark, checkmark or tick is a mark (✓, ✔, etc.) used (primarily in the English speaking world) to indicate the concept “yes” (e.g. “yes; this has been verified”, “yes; that is the correct answer”, “yes; this has been completed”, or “yes; this [item or option] applies to me”).

(Wikepedia-Check Mark)

The check mark has no ties to chemistry or mathematics, It's simply a symbol for "Correct" or "Yes"

The symbol is derived from the roman word "Veritas," meaning true.

"The check mark is believed to have been created during the Roman Empire. "V" was used to shorten the word "veritas", meaning 'true'. This was used to indicate yes, true, or confirmed on items in a list. Over time, its design started to change. When people started attempting to speed-write, the right side became elongated."

(Wikepedia-Check Mark-History)

DrP - 30-11-2016 at 06:51

Quote: Originally posted by Chlorine  

"The check mark is believed to have been created during the Roman Empire. "V" was used to shorten the word "veritas", meaning 'true'. This was used to indicate yes, true, or confirmed on items in a list. Over time, its design started to change. When people started attempting to speed-write, the right side became elongated."

(Wikepedia-Check Mark-History)


Probably to avoid confusion with the numeral 5 - V

I can believe that of the Romans - They were very organised. I can imagine them being fans of check lists.

We do need to know if the OP means a tick (as we say in English) or a square root though. I think he means a tick.

zed - 2-12-2016 at 16:21

There are other possibilities. Could just be a zed......Or, even...The sign of Zorro!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQnle_3KuOE

[Edited on 3-12-2016 by zed]

Ozone - 2-12-2016 at 19:34

The thing for me is the little "leg" on the leading edge (from the left). A check or "tick" mark (as some say) doesn't typically (so far as I know) have this. The "square root" short hand frequently does.

O3

violet sin - 2-12-2016 at 21:02

The little leg you speak of is often times there as the pen is moving toward the paper in anticipation of scribing the check mrk. Like writing sloppy or too fast and letters get a little extra pizazz. Personally I alwayse make sure to tabletop the back half flat on the root symbol, even when writing fast. It looks to me as a normal check mark or super sloppy root. Also looks like the pic was drawn with a mouse or touchpad which may not faithfully represent every nuiance of the intended pattern.

DrP - 6-12-2016 at 02:51

I concur.. a square root would have the tabletop. I assumed checkmark/tick as that is what was stated in the title of the thread.

Ozone - 6-12-2016 at 17:03

See photo attached of the square root symbol in Excel (character code 221A).

O3

square root Excel.jpg - 125kB

DrP - 7-12-2016 at 01:27

Quote: Originally posted by Ozone  
See photo attached of the square root symbol in Excel (character code 221A).

O3


Looks like Microsoft have opted to remove the tabletop from the root symbol in Excel - Bloody Americans! :P

Microsoft really piss me off sometimes. If I have a mk2 car and upgrade to mk 3 then I expect the steering wheel, clutch, break, handbreak etc to be in the same place it was for the mk2.... unless there is a really good reason for the change. Every upgrade they bring out you have to relearn the package to essentially do exactly the same jobs you used to do with the previous upgrade... I would also expect them not to change internationally standard symbols. People see this shit as the norm in this day and age where as they should be outraged. hmm.. rant over for now. lol.

Where is that General from the South Park Movie? "BRING ME BILL GATES!!"

DJF90 - 7-12-2016 at 01:51

Quote: Originally posted by Ozone  
See photo attached of the square root symbol in Excel (character code 221A).
O3


This is the shorthand I am familiar with also.

DrP - 7-12-2016 at 02:04

Why use shorthand at all? It is an internationally standard symbol. Who came up with the idea that a)it needed shortening b) it was OK to change the symbol c) to change it to an already well recognised symbol in use as a tick. d)Microsoft are allowed to change whatever symbol they like and the rest of the world have to accept it. ??

This is why there is so much miscommunication around the world. When are the USA going to get into the 20th century* with regard to using internationally standard symbols and SI units? It is embarrassing.

DrP - 7-12-2016 at 06:11

Just some perspective for you, here is a list of the worlds countries along with the year they converted to metric. As you can see, the USA isn't on that list at all. The system has been around pretty much as long as your country has. With the addition of Myanmar and Liberia to the list this just leaves ONE country not on the list playing ball with the rest of the ENTIRE world. Is it some backwater country where all of the population are too stupid to care what the rest of the world thinks? No! It is America. wtf!? Congrats - you came LAST in this race and it isn't really acceptable when it is something as important as this. Pull your heads out.


Year metrication process started / Country / Previous system of measure / Status of metrication


1795 France French Complete
1814 Portugal Portuguese Complete
1820 Belgium Various Complete
1820 Netherlands Dutch Complete
1848 Chile Spanish Almost entirely complete
1852[35] Mexico Variants of Spanish Complete (some national and regional units are still in use and some United States customary units also in use in some industries)
1852 Spain Spanish Complete, however many pre-metrics are still in use: for land - ferrado, fanega, atahúlla and quiñón; for weight - libra and arroba; for liquids - cuartilla; for screen sizes - pulgada (23 mm).
1861 Italy Various Complete
1862[36] Brazil Portuguese Complete
1862 Peru Spanish Almost entirely complete
1863 Uruguay Spanish Complete
1864 Romania Romanian Complete
1868 North German Confederation Various Complete
1869 South German states Various Complete
1871 Austria Various Complete
1872[Note 2] Germany Various Complete
1873[37] Serbia Various Complete
1875 Ottoman Empire/Turkey Ottoman Complete
1875[38] Norway Norwegian Complete
1876 Sweden Swedish Complete
1876 Switzerland Various Complete
1876 Hungary Various Complete
1885 Japan[39] Japanese Almost entirely complete
1886 Argentina Spanish Complete
1886[40] Finland Finnish Complete
1899 Paraguay Variants of Spanish Complete
1907 Denmark Danish Complete
1907 Iceland Icelandic / Danish Complete
1907 Philippines Spanish and own. Almost entirely complete
1908 Costa Rica Spanish Complete
1912 Dominican Republic Spanish Complete
1918[41][42] Russia Russian Complete
1923[43][44] Thailand Various Almost entirely complete
1925 China Chinese Almost entirely complete
1929 Estonia Estonian Complete
1946 Indonesia Various Almost entirely complete
1954 India Various Complete
1954 Sudan Various Complete
1959[45] Greece Old Greek Complete
1963 Laos Unknown Complete
1963 Vietnam Vietnamese Complete
1965[Note 3] United Kingdom Imperial Partially complete
1967 Ireland Imperial[Note 4] Complete
1967 Pakistan Imperial Complete
1969 New Zealand Imperial Complete
1970 Australia Imperial Complete
1971 South Africa[Note 5] Imperial Complete
1972 Malaysia Imperial and Malay Partially complete
1973 Canada Imperial Partially complete
1975[Note 6][46] United States of America United States customary units Some adoption[47]
1976[48] Sri Lanka Imperial Almost entirely complete[49]
1998 Jamaica Imperial Partially complete
2005 Saint Lucia Imperial Complete
Indeterminate Liberia[Note 7] Imperial[46] Some adoption[Note 8][50]
2011[Note 9][51]
2013[52] Burma (Myanmar) Burmese, Imperial[46] Some adoption[53]
Announcement of full metrication, with technical assistance from the German National Metrology Institute[54]