In this first unit a lot of new notation has been introduced. Notation, for logical statements, as well as for sets and operations on sets. The use of notation is important in mathematics but can also be a source of frustration and be difficult to learn. In this discussion I would like us to consider some of the benefits and some of the drawbacks of mathematical notation. Consider the following questions: (a) Describe two ways in which mathematical notation is useful. Give an example in each case to demonstrate the benefits of your idea. For example, you might say that notation is useful because if a symbol is used to stand for something impossible to write down (for example, an infinite set or an infinite decimal expansion) then the power of this symbolism allows to denote something we otherwise wouldn't be able to. An example in this case would be the notation which is used to denote the infinite set of all real numbers.

(b) Describe one potential drawback of using mathematical notation. For example, you could say that learning a lot of different notation is time-consuming. Try to give a specific example to make your suggestion clear to others. You don't have to actually believe that your suggestion is a genuine disadvantage.