Editing Actuarial notation (section)

{{Short description|Shorthand method to record math formulas that deal with interest rates and life tables}}

{{More citations|date = May 2025}}

[[Image:Actuarial notation.svg|thumb|300px|Example of actuarial symbol.
{{Ordered list|item_style=margin-left:-1.5em
|An upper-case <math>A</math> is an assurance paying 1 on the insured event; lower-case <math>a</math> is an annuity paying 1 per annum at the appropriate time.
|Bar implies continuous{{snd}} or paid at the moment of death; double dot implies paid at the beginning of the year; no mark implies paid at the end of the year;
|for <math>x</math>-year-old person, for <math>n</math> years;
|paid if <math>(x)</math> dies within <math>n</math> years;
|deferred (<math>m</math> years).
|No fixed meaning, implies the second moment to calculate <math>E(Z^2) = E\big((v^{k_x+1})^2\big),</math> but often <math>v^{k_x+1} = e^{\delta(k_x+1)}</math> implying double force of interest.
}}]]
'''Actuarial notation''' is a shorthand method to allow [[Actuary|actuaries]] to record mathematical formulas that deal with [[Interest|interest rates]] and [[life tables]].

Traditional notation uses a [[halo system]], where symbols are placed as [[superscript]] or [[subscript]] before or after the main letter. Example notation using the halo system can be seen to the right.

Various proposals have been made to adopt a linear system, where all the notation would be on a single line without the use of superscripts or subscripts. Such a method would be useful for computing where representation of the halo system can be extremely difficult. However, a standard linear system has yet to emerge.