Definition

Noun: A method of writing mathematical expressions without parentheses, where each operator is placed before its operands. This format eliminates ambiguity about the order of operations.

Usage

Polish notation is used in computer science and logic for representing expressions in a way that is easy for machines to parse. It is also known as prefix notation.

Examples

• The expression is written as in Polish notation.
• To evaluate in Polish notation, you first multiply 3 and 4, then add 2.
• Some calculators and programming languages use Polish notation for command input.

Advanced Usage

• Reverse Polish Notation (RPN): A related, postfix notation where the operator follows its operands (e.g., ). This is commonly used in stack-based evaluation and some HP calculators.
• Advantages: The primary advantage of Polish notation is that it requires no parentheses to define operation precedence, making expression evaluation straightforward for parsers.

Variants and Related Words

• Prefix Notation: Another name for Polish notation.
• Reverse Polish Notation (RPN): The postfix variant.
• Infix Notation: The standard notation where operators are placed between operands (e.g., ).

Synonyms

• Prefix notation

Related Terms

• Operand: A quantity on which an operation is performed.
• Operator: A symbol that represents a mathematical operation (e.g., +, -, *).
• Parse: To analyze a string of symbols.

Noun

1. a parenthesis-free notation for forming mathematical expressions in which each operator precedes its operands