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In technical writing, which is correct, "frequency f(n)" or "frequency f (n)"? Is the space between the letter "f" and the parenthesis "(" required?

ChatGPT:

In technical writing, the correct form is "frequency $f(n)$", without a space between the letter "f" and the parenthesis. This is because, in mathematical notation, functions or variables followed by parentheses (like $f(n)$) should not have a space between the variable and the parentheses.

Therefore, "frequency f(n)" is correct, while "frequency f (n)" (with a space) would be incorrect.

 

Which is correct, "the n-th period" or "the nth period"?

ChatGPT:

The correct form in technical writing is "the nth period" without a hyphen.

In English, when forming ordinal numbers with abbreviations like "nth" (for "n-th"), it's standard to write them without a hyphen. Therefore, "nth" is treated as a single word rather than as a hyphenated phrase.

So, "the nth period" is correct, and "the n-th period" is not typically used in formal writing.

 

Which is better, "f(n) = f(n - 1) × X", or "f(n)=f(n-1)×X"?

ChatGPT:

In technical writing, it's generally better to include spaces around operators for clarity, making the expression more readable. Therefore, the preferred form is:

"f(n) = f(n - 1) × X"

This version uses spaces around the equals sign ("=") and the subtraction operator ("-"), which is the standard convention in mathematical and technical writing. It improves readability and follows common formatting practices for mathematical expressions.