Subject: Re: [HM] symbol for infinity
From: Reuben Hersh (rhersh@math.math.unm.edu)
Date: Tue Jan 04 2000 - 13:00:20 EST
about the symbol for infinity, attributed to Wallis:
Out here in the old west, that symbol was used for branding cattle.
But it was not called "infinity", nor "the laying eight", it was
"the lazy eight." Probably no connection with history of math,
but a possible connection with math teaching: telling the students
that the lazy eight is our symbol for infinity might produce a
momentary lightening of the mood in class.
Reuben Hersh
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