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I'm not speak English very well, and I have a question about how I can call the symbols = / ≥ / ≤.

To describe them with a word in Portuguese, we use sinal (signal).

Which is the correct term in English? I want a single word to describe all three symbols, not three separate words.

EDIT

I want knows the better term to use in my function name getConstraintSign.

export const getConstraintSign = function(constraint) {
    return constraint.greater ? '≥' : constraint.less ? '≤' : '=';
}
FabianoLothor
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  • $,=$ is the equals symbol $\leq$ is the less than or equal to and $\geq$ is the greater than or equal to symbol – The Integrator Mar 21 '18 at 18:02
  • You also say "equal sign" for =. – Arnaud Mortier Mar 21 '18 at 18:03
  • I know guys, I need a term to describe them in just one word. – FabianoLothor Mar 21 '18 at 18:04
  • equivalence relations? but it's a bit more general... – Jürgen Sukumaran Mar 21 '18 at 18:04
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    I think the word you're looking for is "sign," though "symbol" is perfectly good. – saulspatz Mar 21 '18 at 18:04
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    I think "sign" will do. But to be sure, show us a complete sentence where you want to use it. – Ethan Bolker Mar 21 '18 at 18:05
  • relation notation? – The Integrator Mar 21 '18 at 18:05
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    "sign" is overloaded, though, so be aware of the context. It also refers to the unary plus or minus sign indicating whether a number is positive or negative. –  Mar 21 '18 at 18:09
  • @saulspatz so in this case is better use "sign"? – FabianoLothor Mar 21 '18 at 18:09
  • @TonyS.F. the only equivalence relation pictured above would be $=$. The other two are orders. As for the content of the question... I would say it depends on what you want to emphasize about them. "Character" seems the most general, but characters include AaBbCc...123...!@#$... and all other manner of things produced by computers/typewriters/handwriting and the like. "Symbol" is a bit more specific, but symbols would include many additional things such as $\heartsuit\spadesuit!&\dots$ as well, things that both are and are not used specifically for mathematics. – JMoravitz Mar 21 '18 at 18:11
  • In programming languages, $=$, $\neq$, $>$, $<$, $\leq$, $\geq$ are often called "comparison operators", which seems like a reasonable name. Unfortunately, in mathematics, "operator" also can mean several other things... –  Mar 21 '18 at 18:11
  • It would be best, as Ethan Bolker commented, if you show us an example of the sentence where you want to use it. – saulspatz Mar 21 '18 at 18:12
  • "Sign" is getting even a bit more specific, but it would also include things like the $-$ in $-5$ (the "negative sign"). Signs in this context are in reference to symbols used in mathematical contexts to my knowledge. If you were wishing to refer to the specific mathematical concepts of $=,\leq,\geq$, and not referring to simply how they are written, they would be "relations." – JMoravitz Mar 21 '18 at 18:13
  • @saulspatz I am go edit my question and show the local where I need use the term. – FabianoLothor Mar 21 '18 at 18:18
  • @saulspatz I add my problem from the question. – FabianoLothor Mar 21 '18 at 18:24
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    In this context, I would call it a relational operator, but if you don't like getRelationalOperator I would suggest getOperator. – saulspatz Mar 21 '18 at 18:35
  • Thanks @saulspatz! – FabianoLothor Mar 21 '18 at 18:38
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    Comparisons or relations. – copper.hat Mar 21 '18 at 18:43

1 Answers1

1

In the program context you provide,

getConstraintSign

is fine.

getConstraintSymbol

would work too, and is a little more precise, since it's really a glyph (symbol) you're returning.

Ethan Bolker
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  • thanks for the answer, but the @saulspatz suggests use getConstraintOperator, my question continues the sames, how is the best term? I believe isn't a better term and all this terms are fine. Am I correct? – FabianoLothor Mar 21 '18 at 18:43
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    There is no "best term". Any one of the three is clear enough so that someone reading your code will know just what the function does. I would use "symbol" but wouldn't object (wouldn't even comment) on the other choices in a code review. – Ethan Bolker Mar 21 '18 at 18:47