Editing Ambiguity (section)

=== Examples of potentially confusing ambiguous mathematical expressions ===
An expression such as <math>\sin^2\alpha/2</math> can be understood to mean either <math>(\sin(\alpha/2))^2</math> or {{nowrap|<math>(\sin \alpha)^2/2</math>.}} Often the author's intention can be understood from the context, in cases where only one of the two makes sense, but an ambiguity like this should be avoided, for example by writing {{nowrap|<math>\sin^2(\alpha/2)</math> or <math display="inline">\frac{1}{2}\sin^2\alpha</math>.}}

The expression <math>\sin^{-1}\alpha</math> means <math>\arcsin(\alpha)</math> in several texts, though it might be thought to mean {{nowrap|<math>(\sin \alpha)^{-1}</math>,}} since <math>\sin^{n} \alpha</math> commonly means {{nowrap|<math>(\sin \alpha)^{n}</math>.}} Conversely, <math>\sin^2 \alpha</math> might seem to mean {{nowrap|<math>\sin(\sin \alpha)</math>,}} as this [[exponentiation]] notation usually denotes [[function iteration]]: in general, <math>f^2(x)</math> means {{nowrap|<math>f(f(x))</math>.}} However, for [[trigonometric]] and [[hyperbolic functions]], this notation conventionally means exponentiation of the result of function application.

The expression <math>a/2b</math> can be interpreted as meaning {{nowrap|<math>(a/2)b</math>;}} however, it is more commonly understood to mean {{nowrap|<math>a/(2b)</math>.}}