A visual representation of mathematical expressions
pp. 357-366
in: Ray Paton, Irene Neilson (eds), Visual representations and interpretations, Berlin, Springer, 1999Abstract
Mathematical expressions are statements for describing the abstract world. Most kinds of mathematical expressions are of a textual form but they can also involve the use of graphical pictures as well, such as the use of Venn diagrams to describe the relationship between sets. This paper looks at a formal specification language used in software engineering called Z [1, 2] whose foundations are based on first-order predicate calculus and set theory. Z is often used for describing the properties of a system by structuring these properties into manageable constructs called schema. Each schema describes the system's properties using mathematical expressions that are formed by mathematical symbols with special meanings together with conventional alphabets. Two basic forms of expressions can often be found in any Z specification, unary and binary expressions.