In mathematics, the tombstone, halmos, end-of-proof, or Q.E.D. symbol "∎" (or "□") is a symbol used to denote the end of a proof, in place of the traditional abbreviation "Q.E.D." for the Latin phrase "quod erat demonstrandum". It is inspired by the typographic practice of end marks, an element that marks the end of an article.[1][2]
Various forms of the end-of-proof symbol
In Unicode, it is represented as character U+220E∎END OF PROOF. Its graphic form varies, as it may be a hollow or filled rectangle or square.
In AMS-LaTeX, the symbol is automatically appended at the end of a proof environment \begin{proof} ... \end{proof}. It can also be obtained from the commands \qedsymbol, \qedhere or \qed (the latter causes the symbol to be right aligned).[3]
It is sometimes called a "Halmos finality symbol" or "halmos" after the mathematician Paul Halmos, who first used it in a mathematical context in 1950.[4] He got the idea of using it from seeing end marks in magazines, that is, typographic signs that indicate the end of an article. In his memoir I Want to Be a Mathematician, he wrote the following:[1]
The symbol is definitely not my invention — it appeared in popular magazines (not mathematical ones) before I adopted it, but, once again, I seem to have introduced it into mathematics. It is the symbol that sometimes looks like ▯, and is used to indicate an end, usually the end of a proof. It is most frequently called the 'tombstone', but at least one generous author referred to it as the 'halmos'.
tombstone, typography, mathematics, tombstone, halmos, proof, symbol, symbol, used, denote, proof, place, traditional, abbreviation, latin, phrase, quod, erat, demonstrandum, inspired, typographic, practice, marks, element, that, marks, article, various, forms. In mathematics the tombstone halmos end of proof or Q E D symbol or is a symbol used to denote the end of a proof in place of the traditional abbreviation Q E D for the Latin phrase quod erat demonstrandum It is inspired by the typographic practice of end marks an element that marks the end of an article 1 2 Various forms of the end of proof symbolIn Unicode it is represented as character U 220E END OF PROOF Its graphic form varies as it may be a hollow or filled rectangle or square In AMS LaTeX the symbol is automatically appended at the end of a proof environment begin proof end proof It can also be obtained from the commands qedsymbol qedhere or qed the latter causes the symbol to be right aligned 3 It is sometimes called a Halmos finality symbol or halmos after the mathematician Paul Halmos who first used it in a mathematical context in 1950 4 He got the idea of using it from seeing end marks in magazines that is typographic signs that indicate the end of an article In his memoir I Want to Be a Mathematician he wrote the following 1 The symbol is definitely not my invention it appeared in popular magazines not mathematical ones before I adopted it but once again I seem to have introduced it into mathematics It is the symbol that sometimes looks like and is used to indicate an end usually the end of a proof It is most frequently called the tombstone but at least one generous author referred to it as the halmos See also edit 30 Block Elements End of file End of Transmission character Therefore sign Notes edit a b Paul R Halmos I Want to Be a Mathematician An Automathography 1985 p 403 Felici James 2003 The complete manual of typography a guide to setting perfect type Berkeley CA Peachpit Press LaTeX Theorems Wikibooks open books for an open world en wikibooks org Retrieved 2019 11 05 Halmos Paul R 1950 Measure theory New York Van Nostrand pp 6 ISBN 0387900888 OCLC 529634 References editMiller Jeff September 29 2007 Earliest Uses of Symbols of Set Theory and Logic retrieved June 26 2010 nbsp This typography related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tombstone typography amp oldid 1163692383, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
