For all the reasons one might learn math or music notion, it is worth learning some system of string figure notation. You could do math using only prose. Now subtract five from the result of the value obtained in the preceding step to arrive at the solution, which is nine. Prose is essential for those unfamiliar with a system of notation. If you are not already using numbers to refer to thumb and fingers, letters are more mnemonic and will probably be preferred.
Boldface indicates most common terms.
Right and left refer to your right and left as viewed by you. Punctuation marks are used and have their usual meaning. A few figures require the use of your neck or toes, but coming up with abbreviations for rare situations wouldn't make sense. Discussion Some of the abbreviations given above are used infrequently and one could argue that they be omitted. Like any language, SFN should be open to change and improvement.