# Math Help - Use of a subscript?

1. ## Use of a subscript?

I don't get the point of it? So, I'm not sure so please correct me if I'm wrong (This is my question)

Say I have, 3 crates of apples but I want to show how many per crate would I do?

Like A (Apples) and a 3 below it slightly to show that I have 3 of those? and a five as the exponent to show that there are 3 crates with 5 apples in each?

2. Originally Posted by Nyx-
I don't get the point of it? So, I'm not sure so please correct me if I'm wrong (This is my question)

Say I have, 3 crates of apples but I want to show how many per crate would I do?

Like A (Apples) and a 3 below it slightly to show that I have 3 of those? and a five as the exponent to show that there are 3 crates with 5 apples in each?
Subscripts are used for many purposes. (An example being the sequential nature of the elements of a set.)

Sequence - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You could represent your apple crate set like this...

{ $5_{1}, 7_{2}, 4_{3}$}

Which shows that crate #1 has 5 apples, crate #2 has 7, etc.

3. You technically could use subscripts like the above poster said. He was using them to fit the situation you proposed. However I find using subscripts in this way confusing and not a common use. Subscripts are very useful in numbering the order of things, but not so much with the quantity of things. If A represents an apple, then you can just use multiplication to show more than one, i.e. 2A, 10A, etc.