# I Need Help to Understand This

• November 27th 2011, 06:12 PM
davidsf
I Need Help to Understand This
I have never seen this expression before; Confused:

Attachment 22916

Can somebody explain the above formula to me, especially the area where the two (2's) are sitting above each other.(Doh)
Orbital speed - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• November 27th 2011, 07:34 PM
Prove It
Re: I Need Help to Understand This
Quote:

Originally Posted by davidsf
I have never seen this expression before; Confused:

Attachment 22916

Can somebody explain the above formula to me, especially the area where the two (2's) are sitting above each other.(Doh)
Orbital speed - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

$\displaystyle m_1$ and $\displaystyle m_2$ are either constants or variables. I assume the m stands for mass, so $\displaystyle m_1$ would mean "first mass" and $\displaystyle m_2$ would mean "second mass".

Now $\displaystyle m_2^2$ is the same as $\displaystyle \left(m_2\right)^2$
• November 27th 2011, 07:55 PM
davidsf
Re: I Need Help to Understand This
Does (m2) refer to the variable m2 for example does it simply mean (second mass)^2
• November 27th 2011, 07:59 PM
Prove It
Re: I Need Help to Understand This
Quote:

Originally Posted by davidsf
Does (m2) refer to the variable m2 for example does it simply mean (mass2)^2

Yes.
• November 27th 2011, 08:03 PM
davidsf
Re: I Need Help to Understand This
That's all I needed to know. Thank you Prove It