chickenpatty Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 When a math book says, "Write the value of 5!." What does it mean when there is an exclamation mark at the end of a number? This is Abeka Math 7, btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 It means they're really excited about math? Sorry, I have no idea. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 It's a factorial equation. The value is 5*4*3*2*1, or 120. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celticmom Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I think it is a special function. I have not researched it but I seem to remember that it is shorthand for 5x4x3x2x1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlmom Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I studied in France for a year and there would be ! marks after numbers. I don't quite remember what it meant, but something along the lines of the ! meaning to include all the preceding numbers. So 5! would mean 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1. So I guess the value would be 5+4+3+2+1. It was a shortcut to writing it out. I've never seen it in any math book here, though, so it could mean something completely different. Plus, that was quite a few years ago and my memory isn't what it used to be! Who knew math was done differently in different countries? They also used open-ended parentheses, like (5+1(. What is that??? I didn't do well in math over there :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 It's a factorial equation. The value is 5*4*3*2*1, or 120. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homebody2k Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 It's a factorial equation. The value is 5*4*3*2*1, or 120. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Factorial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenpatty Posted January 9, 2012 Author Share Posted January 9, 2012 Ahh, thank you all! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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