Definition:Multiplication/Notation

Definition
There are several variants on the notation for multiplication:


 * $n \times m$, which is usually used when numbers are under consideration, for example: $3 \times 5 = 15$, but can be used in the context of algebra where extra clarity is needed
 * $n m$, which is most common in algebra, but not with numbers unless (for obvious reasons) the numbers are placed in parenthesis, for example: $\paren 3 \paren 4 = 12$
 * $n \cdot m$ or $n . m$, which have their uses in algebra, but have the danger of being confused with the decimal point
 * $n * m$, specifically in the field of computer science, but occasionally encroaching into mathematics.