![]() ![]() When used in conjunction with certain symbols, sigma can denote other functions such as the divisor function that consists of small sigma with a ‘k’ in the subscript. For example, it is used in the formula for calculating the Rayleigh distribution and Maxwell distribution. You will also see the sigma sign as a parameter in various well-known mathematical formulas. This is commonly known as the ‘sigma notation.’ In practice, the sigma operator is used in finance and accounting, managing balance sheets and in similar other instances where there is a need to add a series of numbers. An example of sigma as a summation operator is given below. The two sigma symbols have their own distinct formulas. This is because the uppercase sigma is used as a summation sign in mathematics, whereas the lowercase sigma refers to the square root of variance, or in simple words, the standard deviation. In the field of math, the word ‘sigma’ either means summation or standard deviation. In the modern-day world, the sigma sign is renowned for its use in mathematical formulas. George in Jordan features the sigma sign on the famous Madaba Map. A 6 th Century mosaic work in the Byzantine church of St. Moreover, the sigma sign has been of decorative value as well. It was also used in architecture, and was displayed prominently in churches. In Ancient Greece, the sigma symbol was printed on coins. The sigma symbol has been held in high importance since ancient times. Historians believe that the word ‘sigma’ comes from the Greek word sig-jo which literally translates to ‘I hiss.’ Uses and Meaning of the Sigma Symbol Throughout History Rotate it 90 degrees clockwise and you get the capital version of the sigma symbol. The Phoenician shin looks exactly like the capital letter ‘W’ in the modern English alphabet. It is believed that the ancient civilizations in what constitutes modern day Lebanon, Syria and northern Israel heavily relied on this system of alphabets for communication. In case you are unaware, Phoenician is the oldest known system of alphabets that dates as far back as 1050 BC. ![]() Shin is the twenty-first character in the Phoenician alphabet, sometimes also referred to as the Proto-Canaanite alphabet. Some semioticians suggest that the sigma symbol is derived from ‘shin.’ In the Greek numerals, also known as Alexandrian numerals (a system of using Greek letters to write different numbers), sigma corresponds to a value of 200. Moreover, the enunciation of both the alphabets also has quite a similar ring to one another. Σ looks a lot like ‘S’ written in a rough typeface with sharp lines and an additional horizontal stroke at the bottom. This doesn’t seem so surprising especially when you take into account the shape of the letter ‘s’ and the uppercase sigma symbol. This brings us to another interesting fact about the sigma sign, which is that it is usually viewed as the equivalent of the letter ‘s’ in modern English. It is a special letter used to denote the last alphabet in a Greek word, provided that the particular word in consideration does not consist only of capital alphabets.įor example, consider the word Ὀδυσσεύς which is the Greek representation of the word ‘Odysseus.’ You will notice that the last ‘s’ in Odysseus is denoted by the letter-final sigma (ς) whereas the other two ‘s’ in the middle of Odysseus are represented by the lowercase sigma (σ) sign in the Greek variation. It can be thought of as another type of lowercase sigma symbol that is only used at the end of a word. ![]() This relatively unknown sigma sign is called ‘letter-final sigma.’ However, while it is common to see uppercase and lowercase sigma signs in science textbooks and the likes, what many people are completely unaware of is the fact that the sigma sign has a third form as well. The sigma sign has been used in mathematics, chemistry, and other fields of study for a very long time. Sigma Symbol, The Eighteenth Letter in Greek Alphabet – ©Niakris6 at ShutterStock
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |