Central dot as decimal point in top journal

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The Lancet, one of the top medical journals in the world, requires 'Type decimal points midline (ie, 23·4, not 23.4)'. Does anyone know why this is? As a mathematician, I'll always read 23·4 as 92. Seems odd to me that such a high profile paper would insist on such a strange formatting choice, which goes against the SI standard, so I'm guessing there's a good reason for it.






publications journals formatting decimal







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    Not really an answer, but there is precedent for use of a midline dot as a decimal point: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpunct
    – anything
    31 mins ago














up vote
5
down vote

favorite












The Lancet, one of the top medical journals in the world, requires 'Type decimal points midline (ie, 23·4, not 23.4)'. Does anyone know why this is? As a mathematician, I'll always read 23·4 as 92. Seems odd to me that such a high profile paper would insist on such a strange formatting choice, which goes against the SI standard, so I'm guessing there's a good reason for it.






publications journals formatting decimal







share|improve this question

















  • 1




    Not really an answer, but there is precedent for use of a midline dot as a decimal point: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpunct
    – anything
    31 mins ago












up vote
5
down vote

favorite









up vote
5
down vote

favorite











The Lancet, one of the top medical journals in the world, requires 'Type decimal points midline (ie, 23·4, not 23.4)'. Does anyone know why this is? As a mathematician, I'll always read 23·4 as 92. Seems odd to me that such a high profile paper would insist on such a strange formatting choice, which goes against the SI standard, so I'm guessing there's a good reason for it.






publications journals formatting decimal







share|improve this question













The Lancet, one of the top medical journals in the world, requires 'Type decimal points midline (ie, 23·4, not 23.4)'. Does anyone know why this is? As a mathematician, I'll always read 23·4 as 92. Seems odd to me that such a high profile paper would insist on such a strange formatting choice, which goes against the SI standard, so I'm guessing there's a good reason for it.






publications journals formatting decimal




publications journals formatting decimal






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asked 45 mins ago









hdg204

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  • 1




    Not really an answer, but there is precedent for use of a midline dot as a decimal point: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpunct
    – anything
    31 mins ago












  • 1




    Not really an answer, but there is precedent for use of a midline dot as a decimal point: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpunct
    – anything
    31 mins ago







1




1




Not really an answer, but there is precedent for use of a midline dot as a decimal point: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpunct
– anything
31 mins ago




Not really an answer, but there is precedent for use of a midline dot as a decimal point: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpunct
– anything
31 mins ago










2 Answers
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This notation was more common historically, particularly in the British empire. My guess would be that the Lancet, being an old journal founded in England in 1823, is sticking with it because of tradition rather than a really good reason.






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    To expand on @Anyon's answer more generally, mathematical notation is not universal between countries. Where the decimal symbol appears—and what the decimal symbol even is—varies significantly. For instance, in most of continental Europe, the period and comma are switched so that what in the US would be "24,321.12" would be "24.321,12" in France or Germany. Similarly, the "dot product" is sometimes written on the baseline rather than on the center line.



    So this is just an expression of a stylistic preference or tradition.






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      2 Answers
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      up vote
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      This notation was more common historically, particularly in the British empire. My guess would be that the Lancet, being an old journal founded in England in 1823, is sticking with it because of tradition rather than a really good reason.






      share|improve this answer
























        up vote
        5
        down vote













        This notation was more common historically, particularly in the British empire. My guess would be that the Lancet, being an old journal founded in England in 1823, is sticking with it because of tradition rather than a really good reason.






        share|improve this answer






















          up vote
          5
          down vote










          up vote
          5
          down vote









          This notation was more common historically, particularly in the British empire. My guess would be that the Lancet, being an old journal founded in England in 1823, is sticking with it because of tradition rather than a really good reason.






          share|improve this answer












          This notation was more common historically, particularly in the British empire. My guess would be that the Lancet, being an old journal founded in England in 1823, is sticking with it because of tradition rather than a really good reason.







          share|improve this answer












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          answered 31 mins ago









          Anyon

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              up vote
              3
              down vote













              To expand on @Anyon's answer more generally, mathematical notation is not universal between countries. Where the decimal symbol appears—and what the decimal symbol even is—varies significantly. For instance, in most of continental Europe, the period and comma are switched so that what in the US would be "24,321.12" would be "24.321,12" in France or Germany. Similarly, the "dot product" is sometimes written on the baseline rather than on the center line.



              So this is just an expression of a stylistic preference or tradition.






              share|improve this answer
























                up vote
                3
                down vote













                To expand on @Anyon's answer more generally, mathematical notation is not universal between countries. Where the decimal symbol appears—and what the decimal symbol even is—varies significantly. For instance, in most of continental Europe, the period and comma are switched so that what in the US would be "24,321.12" would be "24.321,12" in France or Germany. Similarly, the "dot product" is sometimes written on the baseline rather than on the center line.



                So this is just an expression of a stylistic preference or tradition.






                share|improve this answer






















                  up vote
                  3
                  down vote










                  up vote
                  3
                  down vote









                  To expand on @Anyon's answer more generally, mathematical notation is not universal between countries. Where the decimal symbol appears—and what the decimal symbol even is—varies significantly. For instance, in most of continental Europe, the period and comma are switched so that what in the US would be "24,321.12" would be "24.321,12" in France or Germany. Similarly, the "dot product" is sometimes written on the baseline rather than on the center line.



                  So this is just an expression of a stylistic preference or tradition.






                  share|improve this answer












                  To expand on @Anyon's answer more generally, mathematical notation is not universal between countries. Where the decimal symbol appears—and what the decimal symbol even is—varies significantly. For instance, in most of continental Europe, the period and comma are switched so that what in the US would be "24,321.12" would be "24.321,12" in France or Germany. Similarly, the "dot product" is sometimes written on the baseline rather than on the center line.



                  So this is just an expression of a stylistic preference or tradition.







                  share|improve this answer












                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer










                  answered 21 mins ago









                  aeismail♦

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