Formula Fun: To “S” Or Not To “E”

Formula Fun: To “S” Or Not To “E”

Difference Between Formulas and Formulae

Words “formulas” and “formulae” both mean more than one formula, but they come from different times and ways of speaking. They both talk about a set of rules or ways to work something out, like in math or science.

History of the Words

The word “formula” comes from Latin. In Latin, the plural (more than one) is “formulae.” English used to follow this rule. But today, we often use English-style plurals, adding an “s” to make it “formulas.”

How to Use Them

You can use “formulas” or “formulae” to mean more than one formula. Both are right, but “formulas” is more common in everyday English. “Formulae” might be used more in science or writing that is old-fashioned.

Trick to Remember the Difference

• Think of “formulas” as everyday or English plural.
• Think of “formulae” as historical or Latin plural.

Example Sentences for “Formulas”

• The teacher showed us two different formulas to solve the problem.
• Scientists use many formulas in their research.
• We wrote all the important formulas on a paper for the exam.
• The cook has secret formulas for his famous dishes.
• These math formulas will help you in your tests.

Example Sentences for “Formulae”

• In ancient books, you might find many different formulae.
• Some scientists prefer using traditional terms like formulae.
• The old papers were filled with chemical formulae.
• The study used mathematical formulae that are very complex.
• The book’s appendix contained formulae for solving equations.

Summary

Both “formulas” and “formulae” are correct for saying more than one formula. “Formulas” is more common and modern, while “formulae” is older and more classical. Use “formulas” in everyday talk, but “formulae” might be good in special or scientific writing.