The symbol “!” in mathematics, often found on scientific calculators, represents the factorial operation. This operation calculates the product of all positive integers less than or equal to a given non-negative integer. For instance, 5! (read as “5 factorial”) is computed as 5 4 3 2 1, resulting in 120.
The factorial is fundamental in various branches of mathematics, including combinatorics, algebra, and calculus. It allows for the calculation of permutations (the number of ways to arrange items in a specific order) and combinations (the number of ways to choose items without regard to order). Historically, the factorial notation has simplified complex mathematical expressions, offering a concise way to represent these computations.
