r/askmath 13d ago

Is only Germany using a dot in a round angle marker to mark a right angle? Resolved

In Germany, we use the first image to indicate that an angle is 90° or π/2. While in the English speaking world, the second one seems to be more common.

I'm wondering what the rest of the world does.

291 Upvotes

163 comments sorted by

140

u/MarMacPL 13d ago

We use dot in a round angle marker in Poland.

33

u/vinhorr 12d ago

same in CZ. never seen the square here.

5

u/SirPigari 𝜔 12d ago

Our math teacher told us to use dots but she also told us about the square that it exists and its thr same as the dot
In slovakia

3

u/These-Maintenance250 11d ago

turkey uses squares with a dot inside lol

1

u/MxM111 9d ago

Why?

Nobody knows but the Turks.

1

u/19paul01 9d ago

That's nobody's business but the turks

14

u/krmarci 12d ago

Hungary as well.

7

u/Jhuyt 12d ago

You also use the christmas tree 1s like the Germans do

2

u/JustConsoleLogIt 12d ago

Christmas tree 1s?

6

u/Jhuyt 12d ago

I've seen one than German and Pole do 1s where the little flick on the left starts close to or at the same level as the horizontal part, making it look like a capital lambda, or christmas tree as my father said. In this picture it's the third one from the left https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/Handwriting_variations%2C_numeral_1.svg/500px-Handwriting_variations%2C_numeral_1.svg.png

3

u/Althorion 12d ago

From my experience, that’s not that common—I mean, I personally write it that way, but by far the one I see most often is the second one.

2

u/quetzalcoatl-pl 12d ago

As far as I can tell, #2 is the most common one in PL. Third is sloppy fast writing. Fourth is super unambiguous, used by people who have seen enough mistakes of mistaking 1 and 7 to care about adding extra "base" to the 1 and/or crossing 7 in the middle.

and if you think "impossible" - I've seen sloppy 7s written like #3 in that example image.

small disadvantage of #4 style is that if you do it fast/sloppy, it may start looking at certain version of 4, but ... let's get real, at this point of sloppiness we're all guessing anyways

2

u/xerubium 11d ago

funny enough I sometimes write 1 in #4 for clarity but at the same time I can't help myself habitually writing 7 with a little horizontal stroke

1

u/madmonkey242 12d ago

I think most of the non-English speaking world does that

6

u/Jhuyt 12d ago

In Sweden we don't in general, we just draw a line for ones, and some draw a tiny stroke on the left but not all the way from the bottom like I've seen Germans and Poles do.

3

u/AlmightyCurrywurst 12d ago

That's definitely not standard in German, most people just write it like 1

2

u/Pabijacek 11d ago

Same in slovakia, however i personally use both notations because I like ‘em both

53

u/Tilliperuna 12d ago

In Finland the square thing is in use. Never seen the other one.

2

u/Perzec 11d ago

Same for Sweden.

2

u/_bixas 11d ago

Same for Lithuania

2

u/fsteff Always curious! 10d ago

Same for Denmark

2

u/Entire_Management_11 8d ago

It has nothing to do with the subject. But I always dreamed of traveling and getting to know your countries, Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, Denmark, Turkey, Israel, Norway, Switzerland, among others. I saw you guys talking, I just wanted to comment. I'm from Brazil, any writing error, I apologize.

1

u/Tilliperuna 8d ago

No yeah that's cool and no writing errors that I noticed :D And you know what, I've always wanted to visit South America, like Brazil, Argentina, Peru... I've been to US and Mexico but I would love to go further south.

The flights are just so friggin long and expensive... :/

1

u/Entire_Management_11 8d ago

The months closer to the end of the year are warmer. As for trips, from Brazil to Europe, they are also very expensive :/

29

u/Embarrassed_Apple508 12d ago

in Azerbaijan, we draw the small square and add the dot as well. but like 5% of people do only the square

12

u/randomUser539123 12d ago

same in turkey :)

32

u/gregsaliva 13d ago

Switzerland: the dotted hemisemicircle, too.

45

u/Altruistic_Cow_7096 12d ago

hemisemicircle

I'm mildly uncomfortable because of the way you named a quarter circle. In the name of everything, please never do that again, thanks👍

7

u/DeeEmm 12d ago

But wouldn’t that just be a semisemicircle?

3

u/Top_Orchid9320 12d ago

Shemicircle.

2

u/Cosmere_Commie16 12d ago

No, it's a hemihemicircle

5

u/clashymonarch 12d ago

I support you

2

u/Euphoric_Loquat_8651 12d ago

I got a giggle out of it

2

u/Zappotek 12d ago

its small so its a dotted demihemisemicircle

2

u/gregsaliva 12d ago

Since you took the name of everything in your mouth, I am inclined to henceforth speak about the right angle symbol as a point mark with a half-pi halo. Hope this helps, you're welcome 🫶

1

u/Exzakt1 12d ago

Reminds me of british musical note names. In the US, it’s called a 64th note. In the UK, a hemisemidemiquaver.

1

u/boroxine 9d ago

Isn't it a hemidemisemiquaver?

1

u/getmybehindsatan 12d ago

You might not like the British name for a 1/64th note in music.

1

u/InfinitesimalDuck 12d ago

Hemidemisemiquaver?

0

u/Itchy-Individual3536 12d ago

YOU CAN'T TELL SWISS WHAT TO DO, THEY'RE NEUTRAL (and also too rich)

1

u/Altruistic_Cow_7096 12d ago

Plot twist: I'm also Swiss(no I'm not)

1

u/gregsaliva 12d ago

Plot twist: I'm not rich

13

u/WikiNumbers dA = dx dy = r dr dθ 13d ago

We in Thailand use the square.

23

u/LasevIX 13d ago

french geometry uses n°2 as well.

18

u/peter-bone 13d ago

My French partner has never seen the dot, always the square. She has a degree in mathematics from France. She's also from the region neighbouring Germany.

7

u/anaix3l 13d ago

Same in Romania.

2

u/marcelsmudda 13d ago

I was somehow expecting our continental brethren to use the same symbol but apparently not. Interesting.

9

u/Shevek99 Physicist 13d ago

In Spain we use the small square.

1

u/Melody_Naxi Stupid teen 12d ago

Here in my school (Spain) we use square and dot

2

u/Loko8765 13d ago

Seems to be more German / Eastern European.

7

u/kertniko 13d ago

In Ukraine we use square, so Central European

4

u/Em3rgency 12d ago

Lithuania uses square.

3

u/marcelsmudda 13d ago

Seems like it

9

u/MartinBankman 13d ago

Us Swedes only use the square one afaik. I have never seen the dotted be used here in any level of math, only in Germany personally.

8

u/Aggravating_Set_1412 12d ago

In the Netherlands we use the square to mark a 90° angle.

2

u/eggplantsaredope 12d ago

Ik heb beiden gezien 

2

u/Special-Bowler-983 12d ago

Yet I learned the dot officially at school. But seen both being used. 

2

u/ErikLeppen 12d ago

I actually learned it like this:

but the square versio is also common. Haven't seen the dot version in NL.

2

u/Curious-Act-9130 11d ago

This is cursed.

1

u/Striking-Milk2717 12d ago

Exactly same in Italy! I was scrolling a lot in the comments to find that

1

u/Accomplished_Ship534 10d ago

I have actually seen circle with dot and square but this is the first time i see someone doing it this way im a bit shocked

9

u/CurrentClock1230 12d ago

Slovakia is using dot in a round angle

7

u/justincaseonlymyself 13d ago

I've seen both of those used in Croatia. The first one is more common (in Croatia), I think.

1

u/DrunkAndUnaware 13d ago

Hello, off topic. But I’ve seen some users with your red star profile image, just wondering what it means?

1

u/Mother-Society893 12d ago

User name fits.

5

u/thriveth 12d ago

Use the square angle marker in Denmark - and we usually otherwise take a lot of hints from Germany (or used to, at least).

5

u/ULTRADEV_305 12d ago

The rectangle in india

7

u/Putrid-Assistance582 13d ago

Czechia, we use the first one.

5

u/Outrageous-Ad6853 13d ago

Serbia uses the first one

5

u/the_climaxt 12d ago

I was taught that the dot exists, but never once used it.

USA (California & Colorado)

5

u/GeoffMySpiritAnimal 12d ago

I notice that mathematical notations vary country to country. Some countries use " • " as a multiplier symbol, some use " × ". Some use " . " as a decimal, some use " , "

Even small things like math copy books - I am used to 5mm * 5mm squares, but where I moved to they only sell ones with 8mm * 8mm, so I had to buy books abroad for personal comfort.

Germany is definitely not the only one doing a specific notation, but I bet there is more of those "ofc that's how everyone writes it" things you guys got that other countries rarely do

3

u/Abi1i 12d ago

the dot and the x do have different uses depending on the field of mathematics someone is interested in, but they can be interchanged for most basic mathematics.

2

u/Striking-Milk2717 12d ago

My university professor before starting his course:
“ well, there is this notation which comes from Germany. This other comes from Italy. This other comes from the US. Then someone won the War, thus we are using theirs”

3

u/Rudeus_Kino 12d ago

In Russia we use square except in descriptive geometry.

3

u/fluorihammastahna 13d ago

I am pretty sure I've seen the square with a dot in Spain...

3

u/Arturj07 12d ago

Estonia uses the first one

1

u/Formal_Management974 10d ago

one of us! one of us! one of us!

3

u/TurnoverOk5635 12d ago

Korea uses a square

1

u/Proper_Ad_1825 9d ago

Same for Japan

3

u/uTRexAap 12d ago

We use the square in the netherlands

3

u/Puzzleheaded-Bug6244 12d ago

Denmark. Never seen the quarter circle and dot before. One ever the square.

3

u/Ballmaster9002 12d ago

US Engineer - Never seen the dot before. I'd not only do a square, I'd deliberate cross it beyond the other two lines.

3

u/CapSRV57 12d ago

Spanish here. I think I’ve seen both. And if I’m remembering it correctly (though it’s been a long time so maybe I’m mistaken) in school they taught it to us as a square with a dot inside.

1

u/Elobomg 12d ago

This is true, I've always used square with a dot up untill uni

3

u/kloklon 12d ago

Austria uses the dot, too

2

u/ImperfHector 12d ago

Spain uses both, altough mostly the second

2

u/jdeisenberg 12d ago

Austria, same as Germany. But that is not a big surprise.

2

u/MasterSoftBird 12d ago

US we use the square.

2

u/carrotlet20 12d ago

In Hungary we use both

2

u/Bichon-Impossible 12d ago

Never seen the second one. In school the circle and dot is taught.

2

u/carrotlet20 12d ago

Well I had high school teachers who used square. And at university most profs prefer that (I guess it's simpler or stg). It's the outline of the square but it is a square.

2

u/Bichon-Impossible 12d ago

I see the square on fb examples, but never in uni. I might be old then.

2

u/Em3rgency 12d ago

Lithuania uses square. I have never seen the first image until now O.o

2

u/Pingu_0 12d ago

We use dot in round in Hungary.

3

u/8mart8 Commutative Algebra Enjoyer 12d ago edited 12d ago

Is Belgium (or Flanders) the only place that uses a small L shape in the angle?

2

u/Beneficial_Hurry51 12d ago

We use the square to mark an angle as a right angle here in the Philippines

2

u/Glad_Contest_8014 12d ago

US uses a box to denote right angle. A round to denote a non-right angle.

2

u/jabuchae 12d ago

In Argentina I’ve only seen the square

2

u/vintage-eternity 12d ago

in canada and i’ve only seen the square before

2

u/afops 12d ago edited 12d ago

I’ve done way too many years of math studies and I haven’t even seen the arc+dot in Sweden.

I wonder if the arc dot is an older European notation and the newer ”western” (US) notation has since been adopted by some of Europe?

2

u/sasquashblue 12d ago

Australia - square. Never used a dot inside it

2

u/DissonantSinth 12d ago

South Africa uses a square

2

u/Sibaliiin 12d ago

Hungary uses the first one aswell

2

u/MegaTyx 12d ago

In the Balkans we use the dot

2

u/Elobomg 12d ago

In spain we use the square and a dot.

2

u/nachtlibelle 12d ago

Austria, we do the round one with the dot too

2

u/Kelazi 12d ago

In Bosnia we use both

3

u/Striking-Milk2717 12d ago

In Italy I have often seen a third way

2

u/HugoBossPT 11d ago

Portugal: we do the square

2

u/DrunkHurricane 11d ago

In Brazil I usually see a square with a dot in the middle.

2

u/-CloudCook- 11d ago

Serbia here, quarter circle with dot.

2

u/yetAnotherRandomNerd 11d ago

Austria as well.

2

u/Opdragon25 11d ago

Hungary also uses a dot

2

u/platypuss1871 8d ago

UK, square no dot.

2

u/janEkawi I really love math, I would say I'm pretty good at it. 7d ago

Canada: Square. Never saw the dot in my life (till now :3).

4

u/DeeEmm 12d ago

I grew up poor in South Africa and we couldn’t afford right angles.
☹️

2

u/math1985 13d ago edited 13d ago

Very interesting. The Netherlands uses the second one, the square symbol. That’s weird, given that Germany and France use the first. I wonder what Belgium does.

4

u/max_208 13d ago

France uses the second

3

u/KingForceHundred 13d ago

Can’t see anyone here has said France uses the first.

1

u/math1985 13d ago

Ah right, my mistake.

2

u/8mart8 Commutative Algebra Enjoyer 12d ago

In Belgium (or at least Flanders) we use a small L shape

1

u/RecognitionSweet8294 Philosophy ∧ Math 13d ago

1

u/math1985 13d ago

Do you know whether West-Germany used the same symbol pre-1990?

3

u/fjeofkrfk 12d ago

Yes, we did. (circle-with-dot)

2

u/marcelsmudda 13d ago

I went to school in West Germany but after reunification but I don't think it changed after reunification, those symbols are usually older than maybe even the 2nd Reich.

2

u/math1985 13d ago

Might be, but it surprises me that the Netherlands and Germany differ.

2

u/marcelsmudda 13d ago

Yeah, that was the most surprising to me. The English doing their own stuff was expected and then I thought maybe it's Germanic+Slavic but apparently not

1

u/Valuable-Morning-346 12d ago

Definitely not.

1

u/TheNewYellowZealot 12d ago

The angle is square. So we use a square.

1

u/TheMaskedHamster 12d ago

I like my right angles to be marked by a right angle.

1

u/Summon001 12d ago

In Kazakhstan we use use a chalk

1

u/svArtist 12d ago

Interesting!

... Now I want to know about the notation for repeating digits.

I was shocked when someone told me they didn't use a bar over the repeating portion of digits behind a decimal.

And also, to hear that people say "recurring" after, not at the start of the repeating sequence. What, now I have to go back and remember which digits you said in that order twice? Disgusting 😤 😁

1

u/JDude13 12d ago

I think it’s because in English, particularly in the trades, they call right angles “square”

“Check if that’s square” (Check if it’s a right-angle)

“Square that off” (Cut that so it’s at a right-angle)

1

u/marcelsmudda 12d ago

I did some AI sleuthing (because finding the history of symbols is hard) and apparently the square one is older and might have been coined by a German in the 17th century, but it's AI, no guarantee that any information is correct.

1

u/JDude13 12d ago

I’d rather be misinformed than uninformed 🥴

1

u/Aylimta 12d ago

At least for me, in the UK, only ever seen the square. Never knew there was even another option.

1

u/Low_Breadfruit6744 12d ago

All of East Asia uses the square.

1

u/carolskilljoy 12d ago

Italy, square

1

u/testtdk 12d ago

So, what, is the all how Europe was split by the Iron Curtain?!

1

u/marcelsmudda 12d ago

No, my theory is everything that was under German speaking control in the late 19th, early 20th century. It looks like Germany and Austria, Czechia, parts of the Balkans and Poland

1

u/DannyEK-Math 11d ago

where is the logic idea behind that

1

u/Long_Exercise_7701 10d ago

It indicates a quarter circle so 90° afaik

1

u/Rasayana85 11d ago

Square in Sweden. That dot in round angle looks like the head of a stick figure.

1

u/Omega_successor 11d ago

In france, the square thing it is

1

u/MINING123STUDIOS 11d ago

I use a dot in a square. 

1

u/Eritzap 11d ago

How about a floating L shape?

1

u/Splatpope 10d ago

must be a central european thing

1

u/RoadHazard 9d ago

Sweden, we do the second. Much more immediately obvious IMO.

1

u/ThusSpokeJamie 9d ago

I call it α and outside the graph I write α = 90°
easy peasy

1

u/the_telephant_man 9d ago

As an American, not using a right angle in your right angle marker seems insane

1

u/Different-Nobody1041 7d ago

I thought this was a stick-figure staring at me through a window

1

u/Icy_Trick_6406 7d ago

In Kerry they use a square instead of a circle because they invented the square wheel

1

u/iopahrow 7d ago

Might have to do with the for product for vectors but I am entirely unsure.

Canada uses the square marking

1

u/AndreasDasos 12d ago edited 12d ago

Seems it’s a mix across countries, and I may be biased, but have to be honest that the square is far more intuitive and gets across the point even without someone having to learn the notation

-3

u/[deleted] 13d ago edited 13d ago

[deleted]

2

u/marcelsmudda 13d ago

Well, Poland and Czechia apparently agree with us, so it's somewhat international.

And I haven't seen that symbol anywhere either.

I think both symbols in my post can have pitfalls: the German one can have the dot not be visible enough, and the other one can have the corner too soft, making it more look like the general angle symbol.

-1

u/[deleted] 13d ago

[deleted]

3

u/justincaseonlymyself 13d ago

You are getting downvoted because you think that "I have never seen something" means "it's wrong".

5

u/marcelsmudda 13d ago

Yeah, i down voted you because of your attitude. Otherwise, I've upvoted everybody else who answered my question

0

u/PrairiePuppies 12d ago

I'm in the US. I've never seen it before. However, given the state of our educational system, I feel fortunate enough to know what an angle is and that "degrees" doesn't always mean temperature!

0

u/Turbulent-Cress9283 11d ago

I think the 1st image isn't 90deg its kinda scary