mathjax / mathjax/MathJax

SRE generates "times" for both \cdot and \times

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Code Example Expected Behavior SRE v4
Dominant language
JavaScript
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Description

Issue Summary

This may not be a bug exactly, but it feels like one. The issue is the speech engine outputs "times" for for \cdot and \times, making dot product and cross product indistinguishable in the speech text when the symbols are used in a linear algebra context.

I know that \times is used in elementary school math for "times", so changing it might be problematic. But is there some other way the author could make them clearer in the speech text when used in a context that needs them distinguished?

Steps to Reproduce:
  1. Use MathJax to render the math \vec{a} \cdot \vec{b}, \vec{a} \times \vec{b}
  2. View the speech text

What you get is a right arrow times b right arrow comma a right arrow times b right arrow

Technical details:
  • MathJax Version: 4.1.2
  • Client OS: Windows 11
  • Browser: Chrome 147.0.7727.138

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First steps

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  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Reproduce the MathJax 4.1.2 example with \cdot and \times, then inspect the speech text generated by SRE. Determine how the speech output can distinguish these symbols in a linear algebra context while preserving the elementary-math reading of \times. Done means the two symbols are distinguishable in the reported example without breaking ordinary multiplication speech.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
javascript
Domain
accessibility
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
38/100

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