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I'm wondering if there is any definitive style guide for writing mathematics. In particular, I'm looking for rules for when to use '$( \ )$' versus '$[ \ ]$.' For instance, when referring to a function, most texts will write $f(x)$, not $f[x]$. On the other hand, when referring to the expectation of a random variable (which I guess is a function too) most (but not all) texts write $\mathbf{E}[X]$, not $\mathbf{E}(X).$

Is there a reason for this or is it a matter of the personal preference of the author? Are there places where it would be 'wrong' to replace '$( \ )$' with '$[ \ ]$' and vice versa (ignoring cases like interval notation where the mathematical meaning is different)?

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    @Samuel To make matters more interesting, I've seen $f^*(S)$ and $f\left\langle S\right\rangle$ used to refer to that same set.2015-04-24

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