Editing Elementary algebra (section)

===Alternative notation===
Other types of notation are used in algebraic expressions when the required formatting is not available, or can not be implied, such as where only letters and symbols are available. As an illustration of this, while exponents are usually formatted using superscripts, e.g., <math style="margin-bottom:8px">x^2</math>, in [[plain text]], and in the [[TeX]] mark-up language, the [[caret]] symbol {{char|^}} represents exponentiation, so <math style="margin-bottom:8px">x^2</math> is written as "x^2".<ref>Ramesh Bangia, ''Dictionary of Information Technology'', Publisher Laxmi Publications, Ltd., 2010, {{ISBN|9380298153}}, 9789380298153, [https://books.google.com/books?id=zQa5I2sHPKEC&q=exponentiation+caret&pg=PA212 page 212]</ref><ref>George Grätzer, ''First Steps in LaTeX'', Publisher Springer, 1999, {{ISBN|0817641327}}, 9780817641320, [https://books.google.com/books?id=mLdg5ZdDKToC&q=subscripts+and+superscripts+caret&pg=PA17 page 17]</ref> This also applies to some programming languages such as Lua. In programming languages such as [[Ada (programming language)|Ada]],<ref>S. Tucker Taft, Robert A. Duff, Randall L. Brukardt, Erhard Ploedereder, Pascal Leroy, ''Ada 2005 Reference Manual'', Volume 4348 of Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Publisher Springer, 2007, {{ISBN|3540693351}}, 9783540693352, [https://books.google.com/books?id=694P3YtXh-0C&q=double+star+exponentiate&pg=PA12 page 13]</ref> [[Fortran]],<ref>C. Xavier, ''Fortran 77 And Numerical Methods'', Publisher New Age International, 1994, {{ISBN|812240670X}}, 9788122406702, [https://books.google.com/books?id=WYMgF9WFty0C&dq=fortran+asterisk+exponentiation&pg=PA20 page 20]</ref> [[Perl]],<ref>Randal Schwartz, Brian Foy, Tom Phoenix, ''Learning Perl'', Publisher O'Reilly Media, Inc., 2011, {{ISBN|1449313140}}, 9781449313142, [https://books.google.com/books?id=l2IwEuRjeNwC&q=double+asterisk+exponentiation&pg=PA24 page 24]</ref> [[Python (programming language)|Python]]<ref>Matthew A. Telles, ''Python Power!: The Comprehensive Guide'', Publisher Course Technology PTR, 2008, {{ISBN|1598631586}}, 9781598631586, [https://books.google.com/books?id=754knV_fyf8C&q=double+asterisk+exponentiation&pg=PA46 page 46]</ref> and [[Ruby (programming language)|Ruby]],<ref>Kevin C. Baird, ''Ruby by Example: Concepts and Code'', Publisher No Starch Press, 2007, {{ISBN|1593271484}}, 9781593271480, [https://books.google.com/books?id=kq2dBNdAl3IC&q=double+asterisk+exponentiation&pg=PA72 page 72]</ref> a double asterisk is used, so <math style="margin-bottom:8px">x^2</math> is written as "x**2". Many programming languages and calculators use a single asterisk to represent the multiplication symbol,<ref>William P. Berlinghoff, Fernando Q. Gouvêa, ''Math through the Ages: A Gentle History for Teachers and Others'', Publisher MAA, 2004, {{ISBN|0883857367}}, 9780883857366, [https://books.google.com/books?id=JAXNVaPt7uQC&dq=calculator+asterisk+multiplication&pg=PA75 page 75]</ref> and it must be explicitly used, for example, <math style="margin-bottom:8px">3x</math> is written "3*x".