ABUSE of NOTATION in DIFFY-Q!! 😅

Why do math textbooks use the same letter for both the variable and the function name?

The Dependent Variable vs. Function Name Confusion:
In y = cos(2t), writing y(0) = 1 technically abuses notation by using “y” as both the dependent variable name and the function itself.

While mathematicians and textbooks do this all the time for convenience, it can be confusing when you’re first learning differential equations! We’ll make clearer distinctions in future lectures, but for now, don’t worry about it too much.

📚 Resources & Full Lectures:
• Watch the full 69-minute Lecture 1:
• Read my “Visual Linear Algebra Online” chapter (“Points, Coordinates, Skew Coordinates, and Graphs”):

#DifferentialEquations #DiffyQ #MathNotation #Calculus #CollegeMath #STEM #MathHelp #StudyTips

Pinned Comment: Ever feel confused when a professor uses y as both a variable AND a function name like y(t)? 😅 That’s a classic ‘abuse of notation’ in differential equations! It’s super common in textbooks for convenience, so don’t let it stress you out.

WATCH THE FULL LECTURE 1 HERE:
EXPLORE VISUAL LINEAR ALGEBRA ONLINE:

Does reusing variable names as function names trip you up in calculus or physics? Let me know below! 👇

📖 Differential Equations, by Blanchard, Devaney, and Hall:

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