[kdejute]

Please let me redirect you to the Nemeth Code for Math and Science forum of Ask an Expert. Would you be so good as to repost your question there?

[kdejute]

Raymond,

Thank you for sharing your question.

First, please let me suggest indicating the red numbers in a transcriber's note instead of by scattering typeform indicators throughout the vertically aligned long division problem. Such a note might say,

"In the following problem, some numbers and operation symbols are printed in red. The red color is not shown in braille. The list below tells what is printed red in each braille line.

• 3rd line, number 4
• 5th line, −11
• 6th line, 3
• 7th line, 20
• 8th line, −5"

The reason I suggest the transcriber's note instead of typeform indicators is that using the typeform indicators will significantly impact the alignment of the problem, and the concept being illustrated by the typeform is alignment.

Alternatively, you could transcribe the problem twice–once where the red is not shown and a second time where the red is shown within the problem. This repetition is inspired by Braille Formats 2016 §13.9.3 and would need to be explained in a transcriber's note.

If you do use typeforms within a numeric passage, it is our understanding that you would not have to repeat a numeric indicator after a typeform symbol indicator or even after a typeform word indicator, because the numeral following the indicator is still in a numeric passage and so could not be misread as a letter.

For more discussion of typeforms, especially within Math and Science materials transcribed using UEB, please see our webinar Typeforms (from September 24, 2020), which is available to NBA members in the Webinars Archive.

Braille on!
–Kyle

[kdejute]

Lynette,

I am so sorry to hear that!

As for the calculator examples you shared, it looks like square shapes will work very nicely for the "keycharts." I am not sure what to recommend for print's empty double low line. Maybe the visible space (⠬ dots 346) with the transcriber-defined typeform you've used for the double underline applied to it?

That would have the first example keychart and the first empty keychart looking something like this:

⠸⠆⠼⠃⠚⠀⠰⠫⠼⠙⠪⠐⠦⠀⠸⠆⠼⠉⠚⠀⠰⠫⠼⠙⠪⠐⠶⠀⠰⠫⠼⠙⠪⠐⠌

⠀⠀⠸⠆⠼⠋⠚⠀⠰⠫⠼⠙⠪⠐⠶⠀⠈⠼⠆⠼⠁⠚

 

⠨⠤⠀⠰⠫⠼⠙⠀⠨⠤⠀⠰⠫⠼⠙⠀⠰⠫⠼⠙⠀⠨⠤⠀⠰⠫⠼⠙⠀⠈⠼⠆⠬

There may be an argument to be made for using the underline tyepform with a visible space instead of the underscores.

What do you think of all that?

–Kyle

 

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[kdejute]

In case it is helpful, below are some thoughts on transcribing calculator material using UEB.

• As you say, GTM 3.5 advises us to use the underline indicator and a transcriber's note instead of the shape enclosure indicators that are covered in GTM 14.3.
• When underlining is used in the surrounding text, perhaps a transcriber-defined typeform may be useful (Rules of UEB section 9).
• You *could* transcribe commands and symbols enclosed in shapes.

"Experimental" transcriptions are in the attached files.

What do you think?

–Kyle

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[kdejute]

Lynnette, I'm afraid your attachment did not come through. Could you try again? (If it still does not show up, it may need to be compressed in order to meet the Ask an Expert file size limits.)

[kdejute]

Rebecca,

Thank you for the question.

According to the text of 2.6 in the Rules of UEB, if "your" is preceded or followed by the line continuation indicator, then the word is *not* standing alone. This is because no part of 2.6 in the Rules of UEB allows for the line continuation indicator. In other words, to the best of our understanding, because the line continuation indicator is not currently explicitly identified as something that allows a word to be standing alone, a word before or after a line continuation indicator is not standing alone.

This is a very fine rule distinction, so it is unlikely that contracting "your" would mislead the reader. But, as I said above, according to a very close reading of the rule as it is written today, the line continuation indicator would prevent the use of the shortform "yr" in your example.

–Kyle

[kdejute]

Please see the [upcoming] Fall 2021 Bulletin article for a change of position on this issue.

In short, a series of letters that is not an abbreviation should be in Nemeth Code.
So,  non-abbreviation series like those in “blood type AB” or “genotype Yy” should be transcribed in Nemeth Code.

This is in line with the spirit of #6 under Additional Guidelines in the Guidance for Transcription Using the Nemeth Code within UEB Contexts, which says, "A series of two or more letters (not abbreviations) identifying geometric shapes or figures is transcribed in Nemeth Code and capitalized individually if needed. (e.g. Triangle ABC, line EF). The name of the figure is not included within the switches. A single letter identifying a shape or figure may be transcribed in UEB. (e.g. Circle O)."

–Kyle

[kdejute]

There is no concrete answer to that question.

The portion of BF2016's Appendix G to which you refer would likely justify including all math symbols used in a volume.

Nonetheless, I would advise against it. I would at least leave out equals, plus, minus, and the multiplication cross.

Alas, Special Symbols Pages (what to include and what to call the entries) is so dependent on the actual content of the transcription as well as the experience of the reader that it is often as much art as science to create a Special Symbols Page.

–Kyle

[kdejute]

Thank you for the question, Shelley.

We think it is reasonable to believe that Greek letters "may be unfamiliar to the reader" (as BF2016 2.5.1 says). So, we would recommend including them on a Special Symbols Page.

I would recommend following the layout and wording given in Rules of UEB (RUEB) 4.5 to compose the SSP listings for any Greek letter.

–Kyle

[kdejute]

Shawn,

Thank you for the question. The effect of the line through previous item indicator applies to the "previous item" as defined in GTM (Guidelines for Technical Material) section 12.1. One thing that qualifies as an item is "An entire number, i.e. the initiating numeric symbol and all succeeding symbols within the numeric mode thus established".

So, #aj@: would mean "10 with a line through the 1 and the 0".

*If* you have to follow print exactly and show each number within a circle, then you would need braille that means "circle enclosing 10, with a line through both number and shape". That would be ;;<$=[#aj:>@:, where the braille grouping indicators allow the effect of the line-through indicator to apply to everything they enclose.

Does that help?
–Kyle

[kdejute]

Melissa,

Thank you for asking. The only change I would make to your transcription is to remove the columns of blank cells. They are not necessary. Attached are both a picture and a .brf of the transcription with these columns removed.

You did a great job of aligning by place value and arranging things in a mathematically logical way.

As for the workshop I mentioned way earlier in this thread, in November 2020, NBA's UEB Technical Material Committee presented a workshop entitled “Spatial Problems, Rules And Advice For UEB Technical Material.” A recording of that webinar is available on NBA’s “Web-based Learning” page (in the drop-down list under “What We Do” on nationalbraille.org).

–Kyle

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[kdejute]

Thank you for the question. We have been thinking on this, and discussion is ongoing.

For now, the best we can recommend is to be consistent (which you are indubitably already endeavoring to do). We will share concrete advice as soon as we can.

–Kyle

[kdejute]

Julia,

Thank you for your question. It looks like your files were too large to upload. Could you please condense them, "zip" them, or attach a picture of them?

While I am here, please let me make a preliminary observation: In binary code, each letter of the alphabet (or Arabic numeral, or instruction to a computer, etc.) is represented by one binary pattern, which is a series of zeros and ones. For example, the lowercase letter a is represented by the binary pattern 01100001  That whole string of zeros and ones together functions as a binary pattern, and the zeros and ones are not separate entities; it's only when they all work together that they mean a

If you can upload or more fully describe your examples, I think I can give you a more specific response.

–Kyle

[kdejute]

Susan,

Yes, you are correctly using the general fraction indicators with the general fraction line in a fraction that includes something other than digits, decimal points, commas or separator spaces. In Guidelines for Technical Material part 6.4, general fractions are discussed, and examples are given.

So, while ¼ would be transcribed: #a/d
A fraction like "question mark over 4" is not a simple numeric fraction and so is transcribed using the general fraction indicators and general fraction line:
;;(8./#d)

–Kyle

[kdejute]

I think you're onto a good thing here, Susan. If you haven't already, please take a look at the discussion in the thread "Formatting fraction problems."

I've also attached a potential transcription here (in .brf and .jpg file formats).

Braille on! You're doing a good job.

–Kyle

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[Author]

Posts