I think it's all a matter of context. It would be easy to conclude that a non-standard notation indicates a mathematical process one hasn't seen before... it is, after all, a very broad and complicated field. Even with a good working knowledge of mathematics, I assume I don't know a lot of it. That notation is not commonly taught in American schools, and so when I look at it my immediate reaction is not to see a variable; I don't know that it's an incomplete equation.
However, I agree that it makes no sense to put 4+3+2 in there. If you handed me that and said "Solve this," treating that as a variable would be my best guess. I just don't assume that non-standard notation is a problem within my field of experience.
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I think it's all a matter of context. It would be easy to conclude that a non-standard notation indicates a mathematical process one hasn't seen before... it is, after all, a very broad and complicated field. Even with a good working knowledge of mathematics, I assume I don't know a lot of it. That notation is not commonly taught in American schools, and so when I look at it my immediate reaction is not to see a variable; I don't know that it's an incomplete equation. However, I agree that it makes no sense to put 4+3+2 in there. If you handed me that and said "Solve this," treating that as a variable would be my best guess. I just don't assume that non-standard notation is a problem within my field of experience.