Wikiciv - User contributions [en]

Writing and Communication

2025-05-20T22:35:32Z

Darthjaffacake: Added different sections for many different types of writing and rewrote some explanations

A way of denoting meaning and communicating via shapes or figures, writing is a technology which allows humans to communicate across vast distances, record information for extremely long periods of time and spread information across wide populations extremely quickly. Writing comes in very many forms, each being unique and differently suited to the language and cultures which use it.

Writing will typically have its own rules about how it translates from spoken to written. Such as punctuation marks to indicate the things like: lists, names, possessions, specific nouns, verbs, and other forms of expressive information, and emotions. Typically, things like sentence and word order and structure are going to be the same in both the written, and spoken language. However how it is read can vary, from different alphabets, sounds, other forms of structure for the sentences, varied tenses, possessives, and many other elements that make up written language. Translation is the most difficult part of the process of writing. Without any information on the writing system, how to read it, which way to read it (written languages can be read in any way so long as it remains consistent as a rule.), and how it’s meaning changes.

== Non-Phonetic Writing ==

=== Proto-Writing ===
Used before and after more regularized writing was invented, proto-writing is a way of conveying information physically by many different means. This can come in the form of pictures or drawings of events to communicate ideas without the use of words or grammar, it can also be constructed out of any material so long as there is some way of interpreting the writing. An example of this flexibility would be the Quipu which is a set of attached ropes where the individual knots denote information about what is being recorded.

=== Pictographic ===
Characterized as a drawing or visual representation of real world objects and ideas, this type of writing is very useful for situations where basic information needs to be conveyed without the barrier of literacy or language comprehension. These are often used in infrastructure or left behind on signs to convey different types of danger, directions or markings for where construction must occur. This system can be very flexible as it is also used to convey emotions and basic objects via emoticons or emoji.

=== Logographic ===
Logographic writing is similar to pictographic systems in that the writing represents meaning directly, however logographic systems do not always have the characters and symbols visually resemble or look like the meaning they represent. This type of writing often starts as pictographic systems that need to communicate more complex meaning so gain regularity in meaning and lose resemblence with objects. Logographic systems are very well suited in areas where language varies between people as writing only represents meaning rather than very varying sound. An example of a system like this may be Traditional Chinese which used across a linguistically diverse area with some changes in usage but basic comprehensibility almost everywhere. Another benefit to using logographs is that some languages have many homophones, so very different meanings would have the same spelling creating ambiguity: an example of this in English would be "sun" and "son" however in other languages, homophones are much more common and much harder to understand even with context.

== Phonetic ==

=== Alphabetic ===
In this system each character makes a designated sound, or sounds which when sounded out in order becomes the spoken form of the language.

=== Abjads ===
Words in abjads are represented by their consonantal roots, this means that only consonants are written. This creates ambiguity in languages like English where vowels are the distinguishing factor between words of different meaning, "bt" could represent bat, bit, beat, bot, bet, but or boot. However this is ideal for many languages like Arabic and Hebrew as they use vowels for grammar and gender agreement which can be redundant.

=== Syllabic ===
Syllabaries are ways of writing where every individual syllable used in a language has a marking. This is easy and useful when a language has very few syllables and homophones like the Cherokee Script as writing is kept better packed together for reading phonetically and there is little ambiguity in meaning.

=== Abugidas or Alphasyllabaries ===
Abuguidas are similar to alphabets in that they have individual characters for consonants and vowels, however abuguidas emphasize consonants and use vowels as additional marks. This is helpful as it makes readers read syllable by syllable even in languages like English with far more syllables than a person could remember.
[[Category:Activities]]

Writing and Communication

2025-05-20T19:54:22Z

Darthjaffacake: Fixed some definitions and uses of writing

Literacy and Numeracy

2025-05-20T19:30:44Z

Darthjaffacake: Linked numeracy to the mathematics page

== Literacy ==
'''Literacy''' is the ability to read, write, comprehend, and '''communicate effectively using written language'''. It encompasses a range of skills, including:

* '''Reading fluency''' (decoding and understanding text),
* '''Writing proficiency''' (composing coherent messages),
* '''Critical thinking''' (analyzing and interpreting information).

Literacy is foundational for education, economic participation, and civic engagement. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4) emphasize literacy as a key driver of sustainable development.

== Numeracy ==
'''Numeracy''' is the ability to understand, interpret, and '''apply [[Mathematics|mathematical]] concepts in everyday life'''. It includes:

* '''Basic arithmetic''' (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division),
* '''Problem-solving''' (using logic and quantitative reasoning),
* '''Data interpretation''' (reading graphs, charts, and statistics).

Numeracy enables individuals to make informed decisions in personal finance, work, and societal contexts.

User:Darthjaffacake

2025-05-18T23:04:58Z

Darthjaffacake: Created page with "Education and Math are hobbies of mine and here I get to do both! I can't wait to see everyone's interesting pages."

Education and Math are hobbies of mine and here I get to do both! I can't wait to see everyone's interesting pages.

Wikiciv:Volunteers

2025-05-18T23:01:48Z

Darthjaffacake:

The following is a list of volunteers in Wikiciv. If you wish to contribute to the project, add your name by writing <nowiki>* --~~~~</nowiki> below!

* [[User:Jehan]]
* [[User:Signore Galilei]]
* [[User:Uri]]
* [[User:Oscar]]
* [[User:PolarTwin]]
* [[User:CTabarrok]]
* [[User:CASSIE]]
* [[User:Noonynoonynoo]]
* [[User:Shrimpsooup]]
* [[User:Mikaele1100]]
* [[User:Mathematician|Mathematician]] ([[User talk:Mathematician|talk]]) 04:17, 6 May 2025 (UTC)
* [[User:Lunimaine]]
* [[User:CatMeowsBack|CatMeowsBack]] ([[User talk:CatMeowsBack|talk]]) 05:24, 7 May 2025 (UTC)
* [[User:Gelsoup|Gelsoup]] ([[User talk:Gelsoup|talk]]) 20:36, 7 May 2025 (UTC)
* [[User:Figgity]]
* [[User:Ixywas|Ixywas]] ([[User talk:Ixywas|talk]]) 17:38, 8 May 2025 (UTC)
* [[User:LordOfThisWorld]]
* [[User:Mal]]
* [[User:Bloeckchengrafik|Bloeckchengrafik]] ([[User talk:Bloeckchengrafik|talk]]) 13:14, 9 May 2025 (UTC)
* [[User:Warm Wooly|Warm_Wooly]] ([[User talk:Warm Wooly|talk]]) 11:46, 10 May 2025 (UTC)
* --[[User:HMT|HMT]] ([[User talk:HMT|talk]]) 17:18, 12 May 2025 (UTC)
* --[[User:Darthjaffacake|Darthjaffacake]] ([[User talk:Darthjaffacake|talk]]) 23:01, 19 May 2025 (UTC)
== See also ==
* [[Wikiciv:Milestones]]
* [[Wikiciv:Resources]]

[[Category:Wikiciv administration]]
Sheetal Khan
* --[[User:Sheetal Khan|Sheetal Khan]] ([[User talk:Sheetal Khan|talk]]) 15:42, 15 May 2025 (UTC)

Math

2025-05-18T22:57:47Z

Darthjaffacake: Added a section on algorithms which I will link to a new page on the subject

Math, Maths or Mathematics, is the term used for the science of numbers, whether just for the purpose of discoveries and knowledge of Math (Pure Mathematics) or to be used in other fields (Applied Mathematics).

== Counting and Numbers ==
Numbers are explained best to beginners as how many of an object there are: a farmer may be sad he only has '''one''' cow, if someone gave him another cow he would have '''two''' cows.

The use of numbers allows people to describe and predict the real world, for science, computers, trade, records and almost any field that needs description.

Whole numbers or '''integers''' can be described by increasing them by one, known as counting.

=== Counting Numbers Up To Fourteen ===
Zero 0

One 1

Two 2

Three 3

Four 4

Five 5

Six 6

Seven 7

Eight 8

Nine 9

Ten 10

Eleven 11

Twelve 12

Thirteen 13

Fourteen 14...

== Mathematical Symbols ==
There are some symbols that are utilized in Mathematics that are not found elsewhere, such as:

* = : The equals sign. This symbol means that the values of the numbers on both sides of it are the same.
* + : The plus sign. This means that the values of the numbers on either sides are going to be combined.
* - : The minus sign. This means that the value of one number is going to be removed from the other.
* % : The percent sign. This dictates that the number preceding it is a percentage of something out of 100.
* * or x or ⋅ : The multiplication or "times" sign. This means that the values of the numbers on either sides of it are going to be multiplied together, making a larger value.
* / or ÷ : The division sign. This means that the value of the numbers are going to be reduced by how many times one number can be put into the other.

== Basic Mathematical Functions ==

=== Succession ===
Increases the value of a number by one, also known as counting. After one comes two.

=== Addition ===
Increases the value of one number by another number. Two and three is five, or ''2 + 3 = 5''.

Addition is equivalent to repeated succession: ''2 + 3 = 2 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 5.''

=== Subtraction ===
Decreases value from a number. Five subtracted from six is one, or ''6 '''–''' 5 = 1''.

Subtraction is equivalent to inverse addition: ''2 + 3 = 5,'' and then ''5 '''–''' 3 = 2.''

=== Multiplication ===
Increases value by that many times. Five multiplied by three is fifteen, or ''5 * 3 = 15''. This is often said as "times", or "five times three", as in "if you take five three times, you have fifteen".

Multiplication is equivalent to repeated addition, ''5 * 3 = 5 + 5 + 5 = 15.''

=== Division ===
Decreases the value by how many times that value can go into it. Ten divided by two is five, or ''10 ÷ 2 = 5.''

Division is equivalent to inverse multiplication: ''5 * 3 = 15'', and then ''15 ÷ 3 = 5.''

==== A Division Example in Story Form ====
It is also easily visualized by imagining one is at a meal (bread and cheese), and that each person must receive an equal portion. To achieve this requires division, so you go around the table handing out pieces of bread and cheese one at a time, but suddenly... you have one portion of bread and cheese remaining to distribute to five people, there are two basic options:

# Leave a ''"''Remainder''"'' for the host, letting them keep the extra bread and cheese all to themselves.
# Split the last portion of bread and cheese in five to share evenly, making 1/5 portions (one fifth or 0.2 of a portion).

== Advanced Mathematics ==

=== Functions ===
Functions are a part of Mathematics that describe the action(s) preformed on an "input". The result of a function is an "output". Any Mathematical operation done is a form of function, including counting (referred to formally as succession). There are many ways to represent functions, the most common being; '''Function Notation, Algebraic, Graphical,''' within a '''Table,''' or using '''Natural Language'''.

=== Axioms ===
Axioms are the most fundamental aspect of Mathematics, being the basic rules that are assumed to be always true. Most separate categories of Math are made distinct by additional or altered axioms being present, the most noticed example being in lower level Physics<ref>[[:Category:Physics]]</ref> where additional axioms are added to account for universal Laws and context based simplification.

=== Algorithms ===
Algorithms are sets of instructions or rules that allow mathematical problems to be solved, like the result of a hard to calculate function or the value of a '''constant'''.

=== Constants ===
Closely related to axioms are the less fundamental constants, simply put these are values that are extremely common to the point that they are assigned a Mathematical/Alphabetical symbol.

=== List of Mathematical Constants ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Symbol
!Name
!Origin
!Example usage
!Value (Rounded to 10 digits)
|-
|'''π'''
|Pi
|ratio of a circle's circumference divided by its diameter
|Determining the area of circles using diameter
|~3.141592654
|-
|'''c'''
|C
|speed of light
|Finding the time it takes radio waves to reach mars
|299,792,458 m/s
|-
|'''ί'''
|Imaginary Unit
|the imaginary number or √-1
|The solution to x² + 4x + 5 = 0 is x = -2 ± i.
|N/A
|-
|'''e'''
|Euler's Number
|The value that (1 + 1/n)n trends towards
|Exponential growth or decay using ex
|~2.718281828
|-
|'''''φ'''''
|The Golden Ratio
|The ratio between two numbers next to each other in the Fibonacci sequence
|Finding a Fibonacci number without calculating every previous number
|~1.618033989
|}

=== Useful Approximations ===
Some mathematical functions are difficult or impossible to calculate by hand, so it is useful to instead use an easier function that will give a value close to the real answer.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Function
!Approximation
!Notes
|-
|'''sin(θ)'''
|θ - θ3/3! + θ5/5! - θ7/7! + …
|The more terms that you add, the more accurate the approximation will be for larger numbers.
|-
|'''cos(θ)'''
|1 - θ2/2! + θ4/4! - θ6/6! + …
|Same note as above
|}
<references />

== Mathematical tools ==

* An [[abacus]] is an analog calculator for basic arithmetic.

[[Category:Maths]]

Math

2025-05-18T11:09:41Z

Darthjaffacake: added division sign ÷ and described succession before addition

Math, or Mathematics, is the term used for the science of numbers, whether just for Math (Pure Mathematics) or to be used in other fields (Applied Mathematics).

== Mathematical Symbols ==
There are some symbols that are utilized in Mathematics that are not found elsewhere, such as:

* = : The equals sign. This symbol means that the values of the numbers on both sides of it are the same.
* + : The plus sign. This means that the values of the numbers on either sides are going to be combined.
* - : The minus sign. This means that the value of one number is going to be removed from the other.
* % : The percent sign. This dictates that the number preceding it is a percentage of something out of 100.
* * or x : The multiplication or "times" sign. This means that the values of the numbers on either sides of it are going to be multiplied together, making a larger value.
* / or ÷ : The division sign. This means that the value of the numbers are going to be reduced by how many times one number can be put into the other.

== Basic Mathematics ==

=== Succession ===
Succession is a function that increases the value of a number by one. After one comes two.

=== Addition ===
Addition is the act of adding one number to another. One and one is two, or ''1+1=2''.

=== Subtraction ===
Subtraction is the act of removing value from a number. Five taken away from six is one, or ''6-5=1''.

=== Multiplication ===
Multiplication is the act of multiplying one number's value by another, or increasing the value by that many times. Five multiplied by two is ten, or ''5*2=10''. This is often said as "times", or "five times two", as in "if you take five two times, you have ten".

It is also easily interpreted as repeated addition, using the previous example; ''5*2''. We can add five, two times: ''5+5 = 10'', '''OR''' we can add two, five times, ''2+2+2+2+2= 10''.

=== Division ===
Division is the act of dividing a number's value by another, or reducing the value to how many times that value can go into it. Ten divided by two is five, or 10/2=5.

==== A Division Example in Story Form ====
It is also easily visualized by imagining one is at a meal (bread and cheese), and that each person must receive an equal portion. To achieve this requires division, so you go around the table handing out pieces of bread and cheese one at a time, but suddenly... you have one portion of bread and cheese remaining to distribute to five people, there are two basic options:

# Leave a ''"''Remainder''"'' for the host, letting them keep the extra bread and cheese all to themselves.
# Split the last portion of bread and cheese in five to share evenly, making 1/5 portions (one fifth or 0.2 of a portion).

== Advanced Mathematics ==

=== Functions ===
Functions are a part of Mathematics that describe the action(s) preformed on an "input". The result of a function is an "output". Any Mathematical operation done is a form of function, including counting (referred to formally as succession). There are many ways to represent functions, the most common being; '''Function Notation, Algebraic, Graphical,''' within a '''Table,''' or using '''Natural Language'''.

=== Axioms ===
Axioms are the most fundamental aspect of Mathematics, being the basic rules that are assumed to be always true. Most separate categories of Math are made distinct by additional or altered axioms being present, the most noticed example being in lower level Physics<ref>[[:Category:Physics]]</ref> where additional axioms are added to account for universal Laws and context based simplification.

=== Constants ===
Closely related to axioms are the less fundamental constants, simply put these are values that are extremely common to the point that they are assigned a Mathematical/Alphabetical symbol. Common examples include; the ratio of a circle's circumference divided by its diameter: ''π'', the speed of light: ''c'', the imaginary number: ''ί,'' Euler's number: ''e'', and the golden ratio: ''φ''.
<references />

== Mathematical tools ==

* An [[abacus]] is an analog calculator for basic arithmetic.

[[Category:Maths]]