# Origin of $V_a$ (median) notation

My question about median of a triangle.

The English equivalent of the Turkish word "kenarortay" is "median". In English-language geometry sources (like books or web pages), the length of the median is often denoted with expressions like $$m_a$$. On the other hand, the notation $$V_a$$ is also common in Turkish textbooks. We don't use $$K_a$$. This might be due to Turkish mathematicians learning geometry from other mathematicians who speak languages other than English. For instance, we know that German scientists came to Turkey in the $$1930$$s. However, I'm not sure if this notation was used by the Germans. Do you have any information about the origin of the $$V_a$$ notation?

Of course, mathematical notations can develop independently in local education systems or at a particular university or school. Do you know of any other countries that use the $$V_a$$ notation?

Thanks for your interest!

Notes:

Some examples

1. In wikipedia Median (geometry) page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Median_(geometry) we see that $$m_a$$ notation like $$m_a = \sqrt{\dfrac{2b^2 + 2c^2 - a^2}{4}}$$.

2. In Mark Dabbs' Elementary Triangle Geometry book, we can see $$m_A,m_B,m_C$$ notations

• The origin of the use of $V$ does not seem to be German, because the median is called Seitenhalbierende ("that which cuts the side in half"), so the length of medians is commonly denoted by $s_{a}$, $s_{b}$, $\ldots$. An older German term for the median is Schwerelinie ("gravity line", compare: centroid = center of gravity = Schwerpunkt; its length likewise denoted by $s_{a}$, etc.), which is cognate with the Dutch term for median, zwaartelijn, whose length is usually denoted by $z_{a}$, $z_{b}$, $\ldots$. Aug 11 at 23:30
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