Spacing of mathematical symbols in tables
Thread poster: patyjs
patyjs
patyjs  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 04:04
Spanish to English
+ ...
Jul 25, 2020

I translate quite a lot of scientific papers and know that mathematical symbols should be spaced on either side. Does this also hold true for tables, where space is perhaps limited? All the values in the table in front of me have a ± (e.g. 0.63±0.02a) so forcing two additional spaces in every cell increases the size considerably.

WWYD?

Thanks


 
Thomas T. Frost
Thomas T. Frost  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 10:04
Danish to English
+ ...
Thin space Jul 25, 2020

As a compromise, you could perhaps use a thin or hair space:

Thin space:
Unicode: U+2009

Hair space:
Unicode: U+200A

In Word you can enter Unicode symbols by typing the code, e.g. '2009', followed by Alt+X, but this doesn't work in MemoQ.

Apart from that, sometimes space restrictions of the client's choice can make it necessary to sacrifice strict rules.


 
Giuliana Maltempo
Giuliana Maltempo
Argentina
Local time: 07:04
Member (2023)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Manuals of style Jul 25, 2020

The AMA Manual of Style, and many other popular style guides, say that thin spaces (U+2009) should be used before and after the following mathematical symbols: ±, =, , ≤, ≥, +, −, ÷, ×, ·, ≈, ∼, ∩, ∫, Π, Σ, and |.
Thus: 0.63 ± 0.02a. I doubt the rule changes for tables, or whatever other context a mathematical expression may appear in.
However, this is only one (albeit popular) style guide, and it is not that rare to see these symbols without such spacing
... See more
The AMA Manual of Style, and many other popular style guides, say that thin spaces (U+2009) should be used before and after the following mathematical symbols: ±, =, , ≤, ≥, +, −, ÷, ×, ·, ≈, ∼, ∩, ∫, Π, Σ, and |.
Thus: 0.63 ± 0.02a. I doubt the rule changes for tables, or whatever other context a mathematical expression may appear in.
However, this is only one (albeit popular) style guide, and it is not that rare to see these symbols without such spacing.
You should check with your client what their style guide says.
-
A thin space is not visually different from a regular space. If you feel you are running out of space in the table because of the spaces, you could also try reducing font size by .5 or 1 pts. That shouldn't cause an impact on readability.

[Edited at 2020-07-25 18:14 GMT]
Collapse


Philip Lees
 
Thomas T. Frost
Thomas T. Frost  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 10:04
Danish to English
+ ...
Space illustration Jul 25, 2020

Annotation 2020-07-25 193130

[Edited at 2020-07-25 18:34 GMT]


 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:


You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Spacing of mathematical symbols in tables







Anycount & Translation Office 3000
Translation Office 3000

Translation Office 3000 is an advanced accounting tool for freelance translators and small agencies. TO3000 easily and seamlessly integrates with the business life of professional freelance translators.

More info »
Trados Business Manager Lite
Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio

Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.

More info »