How to notate a crossing of strings? On Modesto Dedò's notation of braids

This is an historical analysis primarily of the work of Oscar Chisini beginning in the 1930s and his student Modesto Dedò in the 1950s on the mathematical theory of braids. It also serves as an introduction to that branch of mathematics. A synopsis of Emil Artin's comprehensive, group theoretic treatment in 1926 serves as a background and comparison. The different notations of Chisini and Dedò, to the extent that their notation reflected and influenced their respective mathematical approaches, may also help to explain how well their works were received by others. A striking difference appears between Dedò's physical modeling and reliance on experimental verification on the one hand and the more formal, abstract line of Artin on the other. Dedò arrives at essentially the same results but his unusual notation inspired others to further develop his methods. The author makes use of original sources, providing, for example, an image of a printing plate designed by Dedò, and concludes with conjectures on what this story might contribute to understanding the role of notation in mathematics.

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Mathematical formalization and diagrammatic reasoning: the case study of the braid group between 1925 and 1950

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