Standard terms for ShadowRun would be awesome, bit standard math terms are easy to use and nearly everyone knows them. (Rating*Rating)*3000 is very different than (Rating)2*3000. The second implies times 2 not squared while the first is the same as squared.
Yes, but the second one is just lazy math and doesn't make sense to write. If you meant to use Rating * 2 * 3000, why not just write it as Rating * 6000?
Having the extra two there makes more sense if it was accidentally not placed as a superscript, or (Rating)
2 * 3000.
Now I agree, if they have previously set the precedent of writing out squared as (Rating * Rating) * X, it may have been easier to go on using that, but if they are worried about space and formating, Rating
2 * X is easier to fit in the chart.