Notational differences for integration?

Question

I've noticed a small difference in notation for integration in British literature and American literature. (Surely both of these notations exist in other countries' literature but this is the extent of my exposure.) For example: $$ \begin{array}{ll} \textrm{British:}\qquad & \displaystyle \int dx \ x^2\\[0.3cm] \textrm{American:}\qquad & \displaystyle \int x^2 \ dx \end{array} $$

Does anyone know the reason for or history behind this?

Answer 1

Just for the sake of being able to mark this question as answered, here's a summary of the responses with some commentary by the questioner.

• The notational difference is more of a personal preference than a regional one. Personally I'd never even seen what I called the "British" notation until I started reading British mathematical literature.
• Modern day British now uses $\int x^2 \, dx$ notation mainstream. Perhaps the $\int dx \, x^2$ notation is a personal preference that is becoming less commonly preferred.
• Physicists prefer the $\int dx \, x^2$ notation. Apparently with multiple integrals it's easier to keep track of which variable of integration corresponds to which integration. I've never had trouble with this, but then again I'm not a physicist and as such I've not dealt with integrals that physicists would encounter.

Learn something new every day I guess!