LESSON 2: MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE AND SYMBOL

The Language of Mathematics

People used language to express themselves and communicate. It is usually spoken, signed or
written in symbols. Language is like the internet that connects people in the world and there is no doubt that
language is an indispensable thing. Math is also not a different matter. Mathematics has its own language
which makes it easy to express its thought. Math is part of our everyday life. We use math in the grocery, in
our work, school and even at home. In fact, we use decimal digit right after we woke up to determine the
time. And even the number of years of our existence is an example of mathematical language.

Mathematical Language
Mathematical language is a system used to express, communicate and convey mathematical
information. It is distinct and unique from the usual language that people are used to, and is used to
communicate abstract and logical ideas. Mathematical language is characterized by abstraction symbols and
rules, non-linearity and complexity of language, arrangement, coding and decoding information.
The following are the three (3) characteristics of mathematical language.
1. Precise. Precision of mathematical language means that mathematical language is able to make very fine
distinction of things. Mathematical language as being precise means “accurate or exact”. This is one of the
reasons why math is considered as exact science.
2. Concise. Mathematical language as being concise means mathematical language is able to say or write
things briefly. For instance, instead of writing “the sum of two and a number” we can write the expression
2+x.
3. Powerful. Mathematical language is a powerful tool because it can express thoughts with relative ease.

Conversion of English Expression to Mathematical Sentences and Vice-Versa

We begin by describing the basic mathematical operations in the English language. There are
only 5 basic operations in mathematics excluding exponentiation. Each of these operations has a
corresponding English translation as shown in the table below.
SYMBOLS/OPERATIONS BASIC ENGLISH TERMS
Equal, is equal to (most common mistake, “is equals to”), represents, is the
= same as, is, are and the conjugations of the verb “to be”, is similar to, is
equivalent to, exactly, results in.

Plus, sum, total, added to, added with, added by, augmented, raised, more,
+
more than, and, increased, put together.

− Minus, difference, subtracted, from, subtracted by, diminish, less, less than,
decreased, separated.
 Times, product, multiplied by, multiplied with, multiplied to, doubled, tripled
⋅ 𝑜𝑟 ( )
(etc.), twice, thrice (etc.)
These symbols are used in different mathematical operations, and the manner in which these will be read
follows the English language. Consider the following examples:

BASIC MATHEMATICAL
ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS
STATEMENTS
• Three plus four equals seven.
• Three plus four is equal to seven.
• Three increased by four is seven.
3+4=7 • Three augmented by four equals seven.
Common errors:
• Three plus four is equals to seven Grammar)
• The sum of three and four equal to seven (Grammar)
• Ten minus two is eight.
• Ten less two is eight.
• Two less than ten is equal to eight.
• The difference of ten and two is eight.
10 − 2 = 8
Common errors:
• Ten less than two is eight (Connotes different meaning)
• The difference of two and ten is eight. (Connotes different
meaning)
• Seven times two is fourteen.
• The products of seven and two is fourteen.
7(2) = 14 Common errors:
• Double the seven is fourteen (Grammar)
• Twice the product of two and seven is fourteen (Redundant)
• Six divided by two is three.
6÷2=3 • The quotient of six and two is three.
• The ratio of six and two is equal to three.
Complicated expressions are not so difficult to read. Below are complicated expressions:

COMBINED MATHEMATICAL
ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS
STATEMENTS
•The sum of six and two all over four is two.
•The ratio of six plus two, and four is equal to two.
•Two is the quotient when the sum of six and two is
6=2 divided by four.
=2
4 Common error:
• Six plus two divided by four is two. (Connotes different
meaning)
 • Twice the difference of twelve and four is sixteen.
• The product of two and twelve less two is sixteen.
Common errors:
2(12 − 4) = 16 • Double the difference of twelve and four is sixteen
(Connotes different meaning)
• Twelve minus four times two is sixteen (Connotes
different meaning)

Conversion of English Expression to Mathematical Sentences and Vice-Versa

By applying this concept to algebra, we use the English translation of the variable x as “the
number” or “a number”. The following examples are useful.
ALGEBRAIC STATEMENTS ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS
• Twice a number is equal to fourteen.
2𝑥 = 14
• Two times a number is fourteen.
• Thrice the difference of twice a number
and one is four.
3(2𝑥 − 1) = 4 • Three, multiplied to the difference of twice
a number less one, is four.
2(𝑥 = 1) • The ratio of twice the sum of a number and
=5 one, and three is equal to five.
3

Other Languages of Mathematics

Aside [from the conversion of the language to mathematical structures, there are also
mathematical symbols or notations that are used to create a rule to obtain a solution. The following are
useful symbols:
SYMBOL/NOTATIONS NAME EXPLANATIONS

∈ Element The expression, 2 ∈ 𝐴, means

that 2 is found in the set A.
The expression, 𝐴 ⊆ 𝑈, means
⊆ Subset that all the elements of set A are
found in 𝑈.
The union of two sets means that
∪ Union all the elements of the sets are
joined together without the
duplication.
 The intersection of the two sets
is the process of identifying the
∩ Intersection common elements of the sets. If
there is no common element, the
sets are considered to be
disjoints.
= equals sign Equality

≠ not equal sign Inequality

≈ approximately equal Approximation

> strict inequality greater than

< strict inequality less than

≥ greater than or equal to inequality

≤ less than or equal to inequality

() parentheses calculate expression inside first

[] brackets calculate expression inside first

+ plus sign addition

− minus sign Subtraction

* asterisk multiplication

× times sign multiplication

⋅ multiplication dot multiplication

÷ division sign / obelus division

/ division slash Division

Geometry symbols
SYMBOL SYMBOL NAME MEANING / DEFINITION

∠ angle formed by two rays

measured angle
 spherical angle
∟ right angle = 90°

° degree 1 turn = 360°

deg degree 1 turn = 360deg
′ prime arcminute, 1° = 60′
″ double prime arcsecond, 1′ = 60″
⊥ perpendicular perpendicular lines (90° angle)
∥ parallel parallel lines
≅ congruent to equivalence of geometric shapes
and size
~ similarity same shapes, not same size
Δ triangle triangle shape

π pi constant π = 3.141592654...
is the ratio between the
circumference and diameter of a
circle

Algebra symbols
SYMBOL SYMBOL NAME MEANING / DEFINITION
x x variable unknown value to find
≡ equivalence identical to
≜ equal by definition equal by definition

:= equal by definition equal by definition

~ approximately equal weak approximation

≈ approximately equal approximation

 ∝ proportional to proportional to
∞ lemniscate infinity symbol
≪ much less than much less than
≫ much greater than much greater than

() parentheses calculate expression inside first

[] brackets calculate expression inside first
{} braces set

x! exclamation mark factorial

|x| vertical bars absolute value
f (x) function of x maps values of x to f(x)
∆ delta change / difference
∆ discriminant Δ = b2 - 4ac

∑ sigma summation - sum of all values in

range of series
φ golden ratio golden ratio constant
π pi constant π = 3.141592654...
is the ratio between the
circumference and diameter of a
circle

Logic symbols
Symbol Symbol Name Meaning / definition
⋅ and and
^ caret / circumflex and
& ampersand and
+ plus or
∨ reversed caret or
| vertical line or
 x' single quote not - negation
x bar not - negation
¬ not not - negation
! exclamation mark not - negation
⊕ circled plus / oplus exclusive or - xor
~ tilde negation
⇒ implies
⇔ equivalent if and only if (iff)
↔ equivalent if and only if (iff)
∀ for all
∃ there exists
∄ there does not exists
∴ therefore
∵ because / since

References:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6yixyiJcos
https://www.rapidtables.com/math/symbols/Basic_Math_Symbols.html
Alejan, R., Veloria, E., Bonghanoy, G., Ondaro, J., Sumaling, J., (2018) Mathematics In The Modern World.
Malabon City: Mutya Publishing House, Inc
 Exercise 1.
A. Watch the TED Talk Video of the Game Changer – “Math isn’t Hard, it’s a Language” by Mr. Randy
Palisoc on YouTube and answer the following questions.

1. What Statistics is given by the speaker, Mr. Randy Palisoc?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. What are the examples given by the speaker in the video.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. What practice in learning Mathematics was emphasized by the speaker?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. What part of the talk made you go back to the time when you were beginning to learn
Mathematics?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
5. Share the experience/s you can recall which made you like/dislike Mathematics.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
6. Do you agree that Mathematics is a human language, and should have been taught the way the
English language is being taught? Explain.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Exercise 2.
Convert the following mathematical statements to English sentences. Write your answer on the space
provided.
1. 12 + 1 = 13 _____________________________________________
2. 3(8) = 24 _____________________________________________
10−2
3. =2 _____________________________________________
3
3(4+1)
4. =3 _____________________________________________
5
20
−2
5. 2
=2 _____________________________________________
4

6. 3(11 − 5) = 18 _____________________________________________
 7. 5(3 − 2) + 4(3 − 1) = 13 _____________________________________________
1
(4+6)
8. 2
=1 _____________________________________________
5
3(4−1)
9. =3 _____________________________________________
5−3
3(4+1)−6
10. =3 _____________________________________________
3

Exercise 3.

Convert the following English sentences to mathematical statements. Write your answer on the space
provided.
1. The difference of eight and three is five.
___________________________________________________________________________

2. The sum of six and four, diminished by seven is equal to three.

___________________________________________________________________________

3. The quotient of twenty-one and, five less two is seven.

___________________________________________________________________________

4. The ratio of the sum of nine and five, and seven is two.
___________________________________________________________________________

5. One thousand less 12 percent of it is eight hundred eighty.

___________________________________________________________________________

6. Twice the difference of ten and eight is four.

___________________________________________________________________________

7. The ratio of twenty-seven and nine is equal to the thirty percent of ten.
___________________________________________________________________________

8. The quotient of “fifteen and five” and twelve and four” is ten.
___________________________________________________________________________

9. One hundred divided by twenty-five percent of forty is ten.

___________________________________________________________________________

10. Seventy-eight percent of one thousand less six hundred is equal to one hundred eighty.
___________________________________________________________________________

Exercise 3. A

Convert the English sentences to algebraic expressions. Write your answers on the spaces provided.
_____________________1. The sum of a number and four is twelve.
_____________________2. The difference of twice a number and eleven is fifty.

_____________________3. Five times a number plus ten all over three is eleven.
_____________________4. Thrice a number less six is twice the number.

_____________________5. The product of twice a number and six is eight plus a number.

Exercise 3. B
Convert the following algebraic expressions to English sentences. Write your answers on the spaces
provided.

1. 12𝑥 = 10 − 2 ____________________________________________________

2. 3𝑥 = 5 − 2𝑥 ____________________________________________________

2(4−1)
3. =7 ____________________________________________________
5

4. 11 − 3(𝑥 − 4) = 5 ____________________________________________________

2𝑥−7
5. =6 ____________________________________________________
3𝑥−4