This is a mistake I made in my math class. How do I describe the case when I put the value of a to b and the value of b to a. For example, the correct answer is a = 1, b = 2, but I wrote b = 1, a = 2. How do I describe such a mistake, can I say something like "Oh, my mistake, I wrote the values of a and b reversely"?
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2Maybe you can use verb "mix" or "swap" ?– Igor BobkoCommented Sep 10, 2021 at 21:13
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2"I reversed/switched the values of a and b."– user3169Commented Sep 10, 2021 at 21:53
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2I see this all the time (my job involves analysing data input errors for audit purposes) You meant to input bank account number 1234 but you typed 1324. And didn't notice. You transposed the middle two digits. Our solution at the moment is to make inputter do it twice and compare them, which works for typing errors, but fails for people with certain disorders such as dyscalculia. We catch them down the line when the monthly ban reports come in.– Michael HarveyCommented Sep 10, 2021 at 22:24
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"I inverted the answers for a and b"– gotube ♦Commented Sep 11, 2021 at 5:47
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1 Answer
Suggestions for normal speech:
- I mixed up the two values.
- I swapped/switched the two values by accident.
- I swapped/switched the two values by mistake.
"Transpose", as suggested in a comment, also works perfectly, but note that it is a slightly formal word.
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"Swap" and "switch" sound like overt actions you took, replacing one with the other.– gotube ♦Commented Sep 11, 2021 at 5:48
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1It's probably more accurate to say transpose is an example of technical language, than an example of formal language. Saying transpose in a maths class should be fine.– AnonFNVCommented Sep 11, 2021 at 9:05
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- 'overt' means open/unconcealed, not intentional. With a qualifier like "by mistake", 'switched' works fine. (Ngram/corpus search validates this) - yeah, actually I wasn't sure whether to describe it as formal or technical... Technical language is a subset of formal language, one might argue?– SabrinaCommented Sep 11, 2021 at 22:20