GE4 – MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD Instructor: Eirene S.

Neonal
LEESON 2 – MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE AND SYMBOLS 09515132448
neonaleirenesilva@gmail.com

MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE AND SYMBOLS

As mentioned by Arun Ram (2010), learning to read, write, and speak
mathematics is a skill that anyone can learn. Like all languages, it requires lots of
practice to use it fluently.
Once language is well understood, as are the “definitions” of the concepts and
principles, the symbolic translation to equations (numerals and operational
symbols) are relatively easy.

Comparison Between the English and Mathematical Language

Mathematics is nontemporal as it does not have the conception of past, present,
or future.
It is devoid of emotional content.
It focuses only on the presentation of mathematical ideas, concepts and
relations.
It is delivered in a very precise manner.
Nouns in mathematics could be fixed things, such as numbers, or expressions
with numbers: 5, 3, 7x.
Verbs could be the equal sign “=” or inequalities “<, >”.
Pronouns could be variable like x or y.

ENGLISH MATHEMATICS
Expression:
Noun:
Name given to an object 3
(person, place, things)
of interest 2+x
Alma, Batangas, Box
6y
Sentence:
Sentence:
a+b=c
Martha likes Paris.
A complete thought 3+5=8
Five and three are prime
a
numbers √2 = b

 Consider the mathematical sentence “Five plus two equals seven.” as a sentence
of English rather than Mathematics. It contains three nouns: “five”, “two”, and
“seven”; a verb “equals”, and a conjunction “plus”.
 Another word, “is”, has three quite distinct meanings illustrated in the following
sentences:
1. 3 is the square root of 9
“is” in the sentence could be replaced by “=”
The two objects 3 and the square root of 9 are one and the same object,
which is the same as in the English sentence.
2. 5 is less than 10
In this sentence, “is” is the same as “is” in the English sentence “Ball is
round.”
3. 5 is a prime number

1
GE4 – MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD Instructor: Eirene S. Neonal
LEESON 2 – MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE AND SYMBOLS 09515132448
neonaleirenesilva@gmail.com

“is” here means “is an example of”, as it does in the English Sentence,
“Yellow bell is a flower.”

The above examples could be changed into mathematical sentences, such as:
1. √ 9 = 3
2. 5 < 10
3. Let P be “The number is 5.” And Q be “It is prime.” So, P → Q.

Mathematical Expressions and Sentences

Mathematics is not just a collection of indiscernible symbols, but is more of the
meaning associated with these symbols. It improves our mental ability as it
teaches us logical ways of thinking. It says a lot in scum a short pace. Like
another language, it needs extra time, effort, and patience to be learned.
The language of mathematics has its own set of rules, features, elements,
vocabulary, and formal conventions.
The basic structure of the language of mathematics is the expressions and
sentences.
 Mathematical expression is the name given to a mathematical object of
interest, which may be a quantity, number and combinations of these
using different operations.
Example:

Mathematical Phrase Mathematical Expression

Six times the sum of x and 4 6(x+4)
The difference of 6 and k divided by 12 (6-k) ÷ 12
7 added to the product of 11 and m 11m + 7
The product of 11 and x 11x

 Mathematical sentence expresses a complete mathematical thought

about the relation of a mathematical object to another mathematical
object.
Example:
3x + 4 = y
x + 2x = 3x
x–1=0

Vocabulary and Grammar of the Language of Mathematics

The following summarizes the commonly used vocabulary and grammatical rules in
mathematics.

Symbol on Sets and Logic Example Meaning

⋃ - union A ⋃ B, B ⋃ A Union of set A and set B
⋂ - intersection A⋂B Intersection of set A and B

2
GE4 – MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD Instructor: Eirene S. Neonal
LEESON 2 – MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE AND SYMBOLS 09515132448
neonaleirenesilva@gmail.com

∈ - element of x∈X x is an element of set X

⊆ - subset (improper) A⊆B A is a subset of B
⊂ - proper subset A⊂B A is a proper subset of B
V – or (disjunction) AVB A or B
∧ - and (conjunction) A∧B A and B
~ , — - not (negation) - B Not B
→ - implies (if…then) A→B If A then B
↔ - if and only if A↔B A if and only if B
∴ - therefore ∴A Therefore, A.
∀ - for all ∀x For all x.
∃ - there exists ∃x There exist and x
 | - such that x|x = 2n X such that x is even
4 is equivalent to 1
≡ - equivalent 4 ≡ 1 (mod) 3
modulo 3
∎ , QED (Latin phrase "quod erat
demonstrandum", meaning "which
was to be demonstrated".)

Basic Operations (Binary Operations) and Relational Symbols

The word "binary" means composed of two pieces. A binary operation is simply a
rule for combining two values to create a new value. The most widely known binary
operations are those learned in elementary school: addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division on various sets of numbers.

+ Addition 3+2 Three plus two

- Subtraction 5–1 Five minus one
x Multiplication 6x3 Six times three
÷ Division 4÷1 Four divided by one
o Composition of functions f o g (x) fogox
= Equals 4=3+1 4 is equal to 3 plus 1
≠ Not equal 5≠1 Five is not equal one
>, <
Inequalities 5>2 5 is greater than 2
≥, ≤

Relations and Function

x, y, z, 𝛂, 𝛃 - variables
1, 2, 𝝅, e - constants
f(x), g(x,y), h(x1,x2,…, xn) - functions

Set of Numbers
ℝ - real numbers
ℚ - rational numbers
ℕ - natural numbers
ℂ - complex numbers
ℤ - integers 3
GE4 – MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD Instructor: Eirene S. Neonal
LEESON 2 – MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE AND SYMBOLS 09515132448
neonaleirenesilva@gmail.com

Set of Numbers
All the expressions given below look differently, but all are just names for the
same number. Numbers have lots of different names.
6, 3 + 3, 1+1+1+1+1+1, (5-2)+3
This simple idea that numbers have lots of different names is extremely important
in Mathematics. English has the same concept; synonyms are words that have the
same (or nearly the same) meaning. However, this “same object, different name” idea
plays a much more fundamental role in Mathematics than in English.

4
GE4 – MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD Instructor: Eirene S. Neonal
LEESON 2 – MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE AND SYMBOLS 09515132448
neonaleirenesilva@gmail.com

EXERCISES
A. Direction: Translate each of the following english phrases into a
mathematical expression.
1. The sum of a and b.
a+b
2. The product of x and y.
(x)(y)
3. The difference of x and y.
x-y
4. The sum of x and the difference of y and z.
x+(y-z)
5. The sum of x and the sum of y and z.
x+y+z
6. The product of x and the sum of y and z.
x(y+z)
7. The product of x and the difference of y and z.
x(y-z)
8. The difference of the product of a and y and z.
ay-az
9. The product of the sum of x and y and the difference of x and y.
(x+y)(x-y)
10. The product of x and the sum of y and z.
x(y+z)
11. x more than y
x>y
12. x less than y
x<y

B. Directions: Translate each of the following mathematical expressions

into an English phrase using the words sum, difference, product,
and/or quotient.
13. x(y + z)
The product of x and the sum of y and z.

14. xy + xz
The sum of x and y and z.

5
GE4 – MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD Instructor: Eirene S. Neonal
LEESON 2 – MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE AND SYMBOLS 09515132448
neonaleirenesilva@gmail.com

15. z(x – y)
The product of z and the difference of x and y.

16. (x + z)(y – z)
The product of the sum x and y and the difference of y and z.

17. x(y – z)
The product of x and the difference of y and z.

18. (x2 – y2)2

The square of the product and the difference of x raised to the power
of two and y raised to the power of two.

19. (x – y)(x + y)
The product of the difference of x and y and the sum of x and y.

20. z(x + y)2

The product of z and the sum of x and y raised to the power of two.

C. Directions: In each sentence (English or mathematical), circle the

verb.
21. Peter is a boy.

22. 4 is an even number.

23. 7 is less than 12.

24. 128 is a composite number.

25. 3 and 5 are odd numbers.

26. The product of 3 and 4 is 12.

27. ½ is a fraction.

28. The sum of 5 and 7 is 12.

29. When 8 is divided by three, the remainder is 2.

30. 15 is greater than 12.