Mathematical Language and Symbols
Facilitates communication and clarifies meaning
Allow people to express themselves and maintain their identity
Characteristics of the language of Mathematics
The language of mathematics makes it easy to express the kinds of thoughts that
mathematicians like to express. It is:
Precise – able to make very fine distinctions
Concise – able to say things briefly
Powerful – able to express complex thoughts with relative ease.
English: Nouns vs. Sentences
In English, nouns are used to name things we want to talk about (like people, places and
things); whereas sentences are used to state complete thought.
A typical English sentences has at least one noun, and at least one verb. For example, consider
the sentence: Anne hates mathematics
Annie, Mathematics = nouns
Hates = verb
Mathematics: Expressions vs. sentences
The mathematical analogue of a noun will be called an expression
Thus, an expression is a name given to a mathematical object of interest. Whereas in
English we need to talk about people, places, and things, we’ll see that mathematics has
much different “objects of interest”.
The mathematical analogue of a “sentence” will also be called a sentence
A Mathematical sentence, just as an English sentence, must state a complete thought.
ENGLISH MATHEMATICS
Name given to an Noun Expression
object of interest (person, place, things) Ex: 5, 2 + 3, 1/2
Ex: Carol, Philippines, Book
A complete thought Sentence Sentence:
Ex: Ex:
The capital of the Philippines is 3+4=7
Manila. 3+4=8
The capital of the Philippines is
Quezon City.
Numbers have lots of different names
For example, the expressions
5
2+3
10 ÷ 2
(6 – 2) + 1
1+1+1+1+1
All look different, but are all just different names for the same number.
MATHEMATICAL SYMBOLS
Symbol Name Meaning/Definition Example
= Equal sign Equality 5=2+3
Not equal sign Inequality 54
Approximately equal Approximation XY
> Strict inequality Greater than 5>4
< Strict inequality Less than 4<5
≥ Inequality Greater than or equal to 5≥4
≤ inequality Less than or equal to 4≤5
Symbol Meaning
Uppercase Designates set name
Lowercase Designates set elements
{ } Enclose elements in set
or Is (or is not) an element of
Is a subset of
Is a proper subset of
is not a subset of
Is a superset of
| or : Such that
| | The cardinality of a set
The Language of Mathematics
The Language of Mathematics
The Language of Mathematics was designed so we can write about:
Things like Numbers, Sets, Functions, etc
What we Do with those things (add, subtract, multiply, divide, join together, etc)
Symbols
Mathematics uses symbols instead of words:
There are the 10 digits: 0,1,2,...9
There are symbols for operations: + - x /
And symbols that "stand in" for values: x, y, ...
And many special symbols: π = < ≤, ...
Letter Conventions
Often (but not always) letters have special uses:
Examples What they usually mean
Start of the alphabet: a, b, c, ... constants (fixed values)
From i to n: i, j, k, l, m, n positive integers (for counting)
End of the alphabet: ... x, y, z variables (unknowns)
Those are not rules, but they are often used that way.
Example:
y = ax + b
People will assume that a and b are fixed values,
And that x is the one that changes, which in turn makes y change.
Nouns, Verbs, Sentences
Even though we don't use the words "noun", "verb", or "pronoun" in Mathematics, you can
imagine these similarities to English:
Nouns could be fixed things, such as numbers, or expressions with numbers:
15 2(3-1/2) 42
The Verb could be the equals sign "=", or an inequality like < or >
Pronouns (things like it, he, you, etc) could be variables like x or y:
5x-7 xy2 -3/x
And they could be put together into a Sentence like this:
3x + 7 = 22
(And we actually do use the word sentence in mathematics!)
Translate Phrases to Mathematical Expressions
Many words and phrases suggest mathematical operations . The following common words and
phrases indicate addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Verbal phrases can be translated into variable expressions. Some examples are below.
Whenever possible, select a single variable to represent an unknown quantity. Then express
related quantities in terms of the first variable selected.
Examples
For each relationship, select a variable to represent one quantity and state what that variable
represents. Then express the second quantity in terms of the variable selected.
a) The Kings scored 7 more points than the Rangers.
Let r = number of points scored by the Rangers
Let r + 7 = number of points scored by the Kings
b) Bob and Marc share $65.
Let a = how much Bob receives.
Let 65 - a = amount Marc receives.
EXERCISES:
Translate the following:
1. Twelve more than a number. 12 + X
2. Twelve more than a number is twenty. 12 + X = 20
3. X – 2 = 10 When two is subtracted from some number, the
result is ten.
4. 2X – 7 = 25 Twice a number is decreased by seven resulting to
25
