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math-as-code

A reference that explains math notation by comparing it to JavaScript code.

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Licence
MIT
Language
—
Last update
4.7 years ago
Type
Learning resource

No commits in over a year — check for forks or alternatives before adopting.

What it is

This is a guide that translates common mathematical symbols, such as equals signs, square roots, dot and cross products, and sigma, into JavaScript examples. It is aimed at self-taught game and graphics programmers who find academic papers hard to read. The guide is marked as unfinished, and it uses floating point examples that are not numerically robust.

  • Look up what a symbol like sigma or the Hadamard product means and see a JavaScript equivalent
  • Translate a formula from a paper into code using the examples given
  • Learn how vector and scalar multiplication differ in notation and in code
  • Use the linked mathjs examples to work with complex numbers

Great for

  • Self-taught game programmers reading graphics papers
  • Developers who know JavaScript but not common math notation
  • Students learning linear algebra alongside code
  • Readers who want a quick symbol lookup with code comparisons

Not ideal for

  • Readers who need rigorous, numerically robust implementations, since the README says the examples use floating point values and are not numerically robust
  • Readers looking for complete coverage of every symbol, since the README says it may not cover all uses of a symbol
  • Readers who need a non-JavaScript version, since the main guide uses JavaScript (a separate Python version is linked)
Step-by-step guide: how to use math-as-codeInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs

How to get it

  1. 1

    Read it online

    Clone the repository

    git clone https://github.com/Experience-Monks/math-as-code
  2. 2

    Run it

    • Open the README in the repository or on GitHub
    • Use the contents list to jump to the symbol you need
    • Read the math notation and the matching JavaScript example
    • Try the code snippets in a browser console or Node.js
  3. 3

    Get the most out of it

    • Read the Chinese (README-zh.md) or Python (PYTHON-README.md) versions if they fit your needs
    • Follow the linked Wikipedia List of Mathematical Symbols for a fuller reference
    • Check the linked npm packages such as mathjs for implementation details
    • Open an issue or PR on GitHub if you find errors, as the README invites

Downloads

Source code (.zip)master branch · straight from GitHub

Strengths

  • Pairs each math symbol with working JavaScript code
  • Written for readers without a formal math background
  • Links to Wikipedia and other references for deeper study

Trade-offs

  • The README says the guide is not yet finished
  • Examples are floating point and not numerically robust, as the README notes
  • The last push was in March 2022, so content may be dated

Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.