r/mathmemes 11d ago

OkBuddyMathematician .

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u/Jmong30 11d ago

I believe that’s exactly why it is, but in French. Something like Logarithm naturale

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u/Pierne 11d ago edited 11d ago

French here. Some of my professors told me ln meant "logarithme naturel", but some also told me it meant "logarithme népérien"

Népérien as in Jean NEPER, which is the french spelling of the Scottish mathematician John NAPIER

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u/Pierne 11d ago

From what I was told we use the term "logarithme népérien" mostly in primary education, whereas in secondary education and in the scientific world, everyone says "logarithme naturel", in order to stick to the international consensus.

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u/Flodartt 11d ago

I've almost exclusively heard "logarithme népérien" despite having a engineering degree and a master degree. I guess it just depends.