UEB Mode Review

United English Braille is designed in such a way that each print symbol has only one braille corresponding symbol.

In previous units we covered the math concepts that are usually found in everyday language. More complex math expressions, equations, formulas, and concepts requiring addition symbols often use letters or variables to represent mathematical symbols. Because of this, the numeric mode and uncontracted modes are used more often. The numeric and grade 1 indicators clarify in which mode a symbol, word or phrase is to be read.

Contracted Mode

Remember: Unless otherwise indicated, all symbols are read in contracted braille.

Uncontracted Mode

When braille is uncontracted, it is read as the letter, punctuation mark, or symbol that does not have a contracted meaning.

Grade 1 symbol indicator	⠰
Grade 1 word indicator	⠰⠰
Grade 1 passage indicator	⠰⠰⠰
Grade 1 terminator	⠰⠄

You will remember that the extent of the grade 1 indicator is determined by which grade 1 indicator is used.

The grade 1 symbol indicator affects the following symbol only.
The grade 1 word indicator sets uncontracted mode for the entire symbol-sequence and is terminated by a space, or a grade 1 terminator.
The grade 1 passage indicator sets uncontracted mode until it is terminated with the grade 1 terminator.

Numeric Mode

The numeric indicator (⠼) sets numeric mode until the effect of the mode is terminated by a space, a symbol other than the numeric digits 0-9, or a sign of punctuation (other than a comma, period or decimal, a simple fraction line, continuation indicator or numeric space indicator).

Again, the following symbols do NOT terminate numeric mode:

Numeric digits 0-9	⠼⠚⠤⠼⠊
Comma	⠂
Period or decimal	⠲
Simple fraction line	⠌
Continuation indicator	⠐
Space indicator	⠐

Examples:

¼ ̵ ½

⠼⠁⠌⠙⠤⠼⠁⠌⠃

2,243.56

⠼⠃⠂⠃⠙⠉⠲⠑⠋

The numeric indicator also turns on uncontracted mode. Letters (other than a-j, that correspond to numbers 0-9) that appear in the symbol-sequence of numbers following the numeric indicator do not require a grade 1 indicator.

Room 24m

⠠⠗⠕⠕⠍⠀⠼⠃⠙⠍

When in numeric mode, letters a-j in a number/symbol sequence DO require a grade 1 indicator.

Examples:

Room 24a

⠠⠗⠕⠕⠍⠀⠼⠃⠙⠰⠁

(otherwise, this would be read as Room 241)

Room 24b-d

⠠⠗⠕⠕⠍⠀⠼⠃⠙⠰⠃⠤⠰⠙

Room c-24

⠠⠗⠕⠕⠍⠀⠰⠉⠤⠼⠃⠙

Grade 1 set by the Numeric Indicator

When grade 1 is set by the numeric indicator, it sets uncontracted mode for the entire symbol-sequence and only the following symbols terminate the uncontracted mode:

Empty space
hyphen	⠤
dash	⠠⠤
Grade 1 terminator	⠰⠄

IMPORTANT: Take note that the numeric indicator can set uncontracted mode, the numeric indicator can be broken, but the grade 1 symbol-sequence mode stays in effect until it is terminated by one of the above symbols.

The choice to use the grade 1 symbol, word or passage indicators in mathematics is based on clarity and function. Generally, if only one symbol requires a grade 1 indicator, the symbol indicator is used, and its effect applies only to the next symbol.
If 2-3 symbols in a number/symbol sequence require a grade 1 indicator, the word indicator is used and stays in effect until it is terminated by one of the above.
If multiple grade 1 indicators are required, or a string of number/symbols are interrupted by a space or other symbol that would otherwise terminate the uncontracted mode, the passage indicator is used and stays in effect until it is terminated by the grade 1 terminator symbol.
The UEB literary rules for punctuation, typeform, grouping symbols, Roman numerals, and spacing also apply in mathematical expressions.
Mathematical italics are used in print but are generally disregarded in braille.

More Examples:

$b + b + b = 3b$

⠃⠐⠖⠃⠐⠖⠃⠀⠐⠶⠀⠼⠉⠰⠃

Note: The first 3 b's are not stand alone letters and do not need grade 1 clarification. The grade 1 indicator is needed before the last "b" so that 3b isn't read as 32.

$5c = c \times 5$

⠼⠑⠰⠉⠀⠐⠶⠀⠉⠐⠦⠼⠑

Note: The grade 1 indicator must be used so 5c is not read as 53.

$a = b,\ b = c,\ a = c$

⠁⠀⠐⠶⠀⠰⠃⠂⠀⠰⠃⠀⠐⠶⠀⠰⠉⠂⠀⠁⠀⠐⠶⠀⠰⠉

Note: Grade 1 indicator is not needed for the letter "a," because there is no contraction for the letters a, i, and o.

$a:b$

⠁⠰⠒⠃

Note: The grade 1 indicator must be used for the ratio symbol (otherwise, the ratio symbol could be read as "cc" in this instance.)

$III,\ IV,\ V$

⠠⠠⠊⠊⠊⠂⠀⠠⠠⠊⠧⠂⠀⠰⠠⠧

Note: Roman numeral V requires a grade 1 indicator because it has the contracted meaning "very."

Y2K

⠠⠽⠼⠃⠠⠅

Note: There are no letters that can be misread as a stand-alone contraction above.

Braille contractions cannot follow a number when the numeric indicator has turned on uncontracted mode. If using a contraction is desirable, the grade 1 terminator must be used to end the uncontracted mode first.

Examples:

1room4you

⠼⠁⠗⠕⠕⠍⠼⠙⠽⠕⠥

1room4you

⠼⠁⠗⠕⠕⠍⠼⠙⠰⠄⠽

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