CHAPTER 2

Mathematical
Language and
Symbols
 OBJECTIVES:
• At the end of the chapter, the students are ability to
1. discuss the language, symbols and conventions of mathematics;
2. explain the nature of mathematics and language;
3. perform operations on mathematical expressions correctly;
4. acknowledge that mathematics is a useful language;
5. use different types of reasoning to justify statements and arguments
made about mathematics and mathematical concepts; and
6. write clear and logical proofs.
 Mathematical Language
• is the system used to communicate mathematical ideas
• consists of
• some natural language using technical (mathematical)
terms
• grammatical conventions that are uncommon to
mathematical discourse, supplemented by a highly
specialized symbolic notation for mathematical formulas
 Mathematical Notation
•used for formulas
•has its own grammar
•shared by mathematicians anywhere in the
globe
 Characteristics of Mathematical
Language
• Precise
• correct all the time
• definition and limits should be distinction
• means that the definition should tell exactly what you need to do to determine
whether any object does or does not fit the definition.
• Concise
• shows simplicity
Example: List the factors of 25.
• Powerful
• expressing complex thoughts with relative ease
• unify diverse instances under a single conceptual framework
• allows easier penetration of the subject and the development of more powerful
methods
 Importance of Mathematical
Language
1. It is a major contributor to overall comprehension.
2. It is vital for the development of mathematics
proficiency.
3. It enables both the teacher and the students to
communicate mathematical knowledge with
precision.
 According to Galileo Galilei
“Mathematics is the language in which God has written the
universe.”
• It can be attributed that mathematics is a universal language
because the principles and foundations of mathematics are the
same everywhere around the world.
Example:
• five plus five equal ten
• 5 + 5 = 10 (Arabic numerals)
• 10 items is the same anywhere in the world
 Expression versus Sentence
• Expression (mathematical expression)
• Finite combination of symbols that is well-defined according to
rules that depend on the context
• Symbols can designate numbers, variables, operations, functions,
brackets, punctuations, and groupings to help determine order of
operations, and other aspects of mathematical syntax
• correct arrangement of mathematical symbols used to represent the
object of interest, it does not contain a complete thought, and it
cannot be determined if it is true or false
 Expression versus Sentence
• Sentence (mathematical sentence)
• makes a statement about two expressions, either using numbers,
variables, or a combination of both
• use symbols or words like equals, greater than, or less than
• correct arrangement of mathematical symbols that states a complete
thought and can be determined whether it’s true, false, sometimes
true/sometimes false
 Mathematical Sentence
• OPEN MATHEMATICAL SENTENCE
– a sentence which could be true or false
depending on the values of unknown
quantities in the sentence

• CLOSED MATHEMATICAL
SENTENCE – a sentence which is
known to be true or known to be false
 Expressions versus Sentences
English Mathematics
name given to Noun (person, Expression
an object of place, things) 3, 2+x, 6y
interest Alma, Batangas,
box

a complete Sentence Sentence

thought Martha likes Paris a+b=c
3+5<8
Five and three are
prime numbers.
 Conventions in the Mathematical
Language
Mathematical convention – is a fact, name, notation, or usage which is
generally agreed upon by mathematicians
Ex. PEMDAS

Mathematicians abide by conventions to be able to understand what

they write without constantly having to redefine basic terms.
Almost all mathematical names and symbols are conventional
 Words and phrases that imply
Mathematical Operations
Addition Subtraction Multiplication Division
Plus Minus Times Divided by
The sum of The difference of The product of The quotient of
Increased by Decreased by Multiplied by Per
Total Fewer than Of
more than Less than Twice
Added to Subtracted from
Translate each of the following English phrases
into a mathematical expression.
1. The sum of a and b
2. The product of x and y
3. The difference of x and y
4. The sum of x and the difference of y and z
5. The sum of x and the sum of y and z
6. The product of x and the sum of y and z
7. The product of x and the difference of y and z
8. The difference of the product of x and y, and z
9. The product of the sum of x and y and the difference of x and y
10. x more than y
11. x less than y
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 --- xy
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 x and y, and z --- (xy) – z
9. The product of the sum of x and y and the difference of x and y
10. x more than y y + x 9. (x+y)(x-y)
11. x less than y y–x
In each sentence (English or mathematical), circle
the verb.
1. Peter is a boy.
2. 4 is an even number.
3. 7 is less than 12.
4.128 is a composite number
5. 3 and 5 are odd numbers
6. The product of 3 and 4 is 12
7. 1/2 is a fraction.
8. The sum of 5 and 7 is 12.
9. When 8 is divided by three, the remainder is 2.
10. 15 is greater than 12.
 Choose a quantity to be represented by a variable, then
write a mathematical expression for each.
1.Zero is an integer =>
2. x is multiple of 5 =>
3.x is an odd numbers =>
4.The values of x range from negative two to five =>
Four Basic Concepts of
Mathematical Language and symbols
1. Language of Sets
2-3. Language of Functions and Relations
4. Language of Binary Operations
 Language of Sets
SET – a collection of distinct objects (elements)
Two Ways to Describe Set:
1. Roster Method
2. Rule Method (Set builder notation)
Roster Method Rule Method
A = {a, e, i, o, u} A = {x|x is a vowel letter in English alphabet}
B = {M, I, R, A, G, C, E, L, B, N} B = {x|x is letter in the name MIRIAM GRACE
MALABANAN}
 COMPLETE THE TABLE
Given Roster Method Rule Method

Set of integers greater

than 12
Set of negative integers
greater than -7
Solution set to
5x – 8 = 12
 COMPLETE THE TABLE
Given Roster Method Rule Method

Set of integers greater {13, 14, 15, 16, …} {x| x is an integer

than 12 greater than 12}
Set of negative integers {-6, -5, -4, -3, -2, -1} {x|x is a negative
greater than -7 or integer greater than -7}
{-6, -5, -4, …, -1}
Solution set to {4} {x|x is a solution to 5x –
5x – 8 = 12 8 = 12}
5x = 12 + 8
(1/5)(5x = 20)
X=4
 Interval Notation and
Rule Method to Define Sets
Interval Verbal Description Rule Method
Notation
(-1, 5] Set of real numbers greater than -1 {x ∈ R| -1 < x ≤ 5}
but less than or equal to 5.
[-0.99, ∞) Set of real numbers greater than or {x ∈ R| x ≥ -0.99}
equal to -0.99.
(-∞, 0] Set of real numbers less than or {x ∈ R| x ≤ 0}
equal to 0.
(3.5, 10) Set of real numbers greater than {x ∈ R| 3.5 < x < 10}
3.5 but less than 10.
 Cardinal Number

•Number of elements or members in the

set, the cardinality of a set A is denoted
by n(A)
•Example. E = {a, e, i, o, u}
n(E) = 5
Kinds of Sets
• Empty Set { } or Null Set ∅
• Finite Set and Infinite Set
• Universal Set
• Equal Sets and Equivalent Sets
• Joint Sets and Disjoint Sets
• Subset and Proper subset
Empty Set or Null Set

•set with no elements

•always a subset of a set
Finite Set
•Set with countable elements
Illustration:
A = {1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49, 64, 81, 100}

B = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, …, 98, 99, 100}

Infinite Set

•Set with uncountable elements (infinite

number of elements)
Illustration:
C = {2, 4, 6, 8, 10, …}
Z = {…, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, …}
Universal Set

-totality of all elements under

consideration
Equal Sets
- refer to two or more sets with same elements an
same number of elements

Example:
A = {t, e, a, m}
B = {m, a, t, e}
A = B because sets A and B have same elements
and same number of elements
Equivalent Sets
- refer to two or more with same number of elements

Example:
A = {t, e, a, m}
C = {1, 2, 3, 4}
A ≡ C because sets A and C have same number of
elements
 Disjoint Sets U

G H
-refer to two or
more sets with no
common element
Example:
G = {1, 2, 3}
H = {4, 5, 6}
 Joint Sets U

I J
-refer to two or
more sets with
common elements
Example:
I = {1, 2, 3, 4}
J = {2, 4, 6, 8}
Common elements
 U
Subset
• A set is SUBSET of another
set if and only if all
elements of the first set are
also elements of the second
set.
O
Example:
O = {1,3,5,7}
P= {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8} P
Since all elements of set O
can be found on set P,
therefore, O ⊆ P
 Proper Subset U
B is a proper subset of A, if and only if all
elements of B are in A but A contains at least
one element that is not in B.
Example:
O = {1,3,5,7}
O
P= {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8}

Since all elements of set O can be found on set

P and there are elements of P that cannot be
P
found in O, therefore,
O⊂P
Number of Subsets of a Set

•If A has n elements, the number of

subsets A has is 2n
Example: Consider A = {x, y, z}. List down all the subsets of a
set A.

Solution: { }, {x}, {y}, {z}, {x, y}, {x, z}, {y, z}, {x, y, z}
 Venn Diagram
• A pictorial representation of sets within an enclosing rectangle. The
rectangle represents the entire universal set U. Circles, squares, and
other geometric figures represent some subsets of the universal set.
Regions that overlap represent elements that are common to sets.
 Application on Sets
•In a survey of 500 investors, it was reported that
270 invested in stocks, 300 invested in bonds,
and 100 invested in both stocks and bonds. Use
Venn diagram to answer the following:
• How many invested in stocks only?
• How many invested in bonds only?
• How many invested in neither stocks nor bonds?
Set Operations
• Union – combination of two or more sets
• Intersection – common elements from two or more sets
• Complement – elements in the universal set that cannot be found
in A
• Difference – elements on the first set that cannot be found on the
second set
• Cartesian Product – ordered pairs from t
 Language of Functions and Relations
RELATION – is a set of ordered pairs
Ex. A = {a, b, c, d}
B = {s, t, u, v}
A x B = {(a, s), (a, t), (a, u), (a, v), (b, s), (b, t), (b, u), (b, v), (c,
s),
(c, t), (c, u), (c, v), (d, s), (d, t), (d, u), (d, v)}

FUNCTION is a relation in which, for each value of the first component

of the ordered pairs, there is exactly one value of the second component.
 Determine whether each of the
following a function or merely relation.

x y x y
1 6 1 6
2 7 2 7
Not a Function Function
 y = 2x
x-y chart mapping
xy input output
-2 -4 -2 -4
-1 -2 -1 -2
0 0
00 1 2
12 2 4
24 Function
 Determine whether the equation is a function.
y= x x= y
x y input output x y input output
-2 2 -2 0 2 -2 0 -2
-1 1 -1 1 -1 -1
0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0
1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2
2 2 2 2 2 2

Function Not a Function

 Vertical Line Test - Functions
y y y y

x x x x

Function

y y y y

x x x x
 Vertical Line Test - Functions
y y y y

x x x x

Function Function

y y y y

x x x x
 Vertical Line Test - Functions
y y y y

x x x x

Function Function Not a

Function
y y y y

x x x x
 Vertical Line Test - Functions
y y y y

x x x x

Function Function Not a Function

Function
y y y y

x x x x
 Vertical Line Test - Functions
y y y y

x x x x

Function Function Not a Function

Function
y y y y

x x x x

Not a Function Not a Not a

Function Function Function
Tell whether the relation below is a function.
1) input output 3) y
0
1 x
Not a
5 Function
2 Function
3
2) x y 4) input output
-3 -1 -2 3
-3 0 4
Not a -1 Not a
-3 1 Function 5
0 Function
-3 2 6
 Function Notation
y = 2x + 3 f (x) = 2x + 3
when x = 1, y = 5 f (1) = 5
when x = 2, y = 7 f (2) = 7
when x = 3, y = 9 f (3) = 9
when x = 4, y =11f (4) = 11
f ( -4) = -5
 g(x) = x 2
h(x) = 3x - 2
Evaluate the following.
1) g(4) = 16 5) h(4) + g(1) =
10 + 1 = 11
2) h( -2) = -8 6) h( -5) • g( -2) =
-17 • 4 = -68
3) g( -3) = +9 7) g ( h(3) ) =
g(7) = 49
4) h(5) = 13 8) h ( g(2) ) =
h(4) = 10
Evaluate the function over the domain,
x = -1, x = 0, x = 2.
1) f (x) = 4x
{-4, 0, 8 }
2) g(x) = 3x - 9
{-12, - 9, - 3 }
3) h(x) = x - 1
2

{ 0, - 1, 3 }
Graph the linear function.
f (x) = - x + 3 f(x)
x f (x)
-3 6
-2 5
-1 4
x
0 3
1 2
2 1
3 0
Binary Operations
"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.
Definition
A binary operation on a set is a calculation
involving two elements of the set to produce
another element of the set.
A binary operation * on a set is a function
from A x B to A such that for each a,b ∈ A,
a*b = c, where c ∈ A.
Note:
The expression *(a,b) is often written as a*b
Closure Property
A non empty set A is closed under
* if and only if for each a,b ∈ A, a*b ∈ A.
An operation on a set which meets this property is
a binary operation.
Example: Explain why operations on a set are
Binary or Not Binary
Use the definition of binary
operation to determine if the
following operation is a binary
operation on the indicated set.
Addition on the set of rational numbers (Q)
•Addition on the set of rational numbers is a
binary operation because for any rational number
q and r, the sum q + r is also a rational number
•Examples.
• 5 + 8 = 13
•½ + 4 ¼ = 4 ¾
Division on the set integers Z

•Division on Z is not a binary operation.

•Example. 2,5 ∈ Z, but 2/5 ∉ Z: 2 and 5 are
integers Z, but 2/5 is not.
Addition on the set of negative integers Z-
Multiplication on Z–
Elementary Logic
PROPOSITION
A declarative sentence that is either true or false,
but not both
• Washington, D.C., is the capital of USA
• California is adjacent to New York
• 1+1=2
• 2+2=5
• What time is it?
• Read this carefully
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Logical operators
• Negation operator
• Conjunction (and, ^)
• Disjunction (or v )
• Conditional statement à
• Biconditional statement ßà
• Exclusive Or ⊕
Negation

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Example
• “Today is Friday”
• It is not the case that today is Friday
• Today is not Friday
• At least 10 inches of rain fell today in Miami
• It is not the case that at least 10 inches of rain fell today in Miami
• Less than 10 inches of rain fell today in Miami
Conjunction

Conjunction: p ^ q is true when both p and q are true.

False otherwise

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Example
• p: “Today is Friday”, q: “It is raining today”
• p˄q “Today is Friday and it is raining today”
• true: on rainy Fridays
• false otherwise:
• Any day that is not a Friday
• Fridays when it does not rain

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Disjunction

Disjunction: p v q is false when both p and q are false.

True otherwise

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Example
• p ˅ q: “Today is Friday or it is raining today”
• True:
• Today is Friday
• It is raining today
• It is a rainy Friday
• False
• Today is not Friday and it does not rain

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 Exclusive or

Exclusive Or is true when exactly one

of p, q is true. False otherwise
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Conditional statement

Conditional Statement:
• p is called the premise (or antecedent) and q is called the conclusion
(or consequent)
• pà q is false when p is true and q is false. True otherwise

72
 Conditional statement pàq
• Also called an implication
if p, then q p implies q
if p, q p only if q
p is sufficient for q a sufficient condition for q is p
q if p q whenever p
q when p q is necessary for p
a necessary condition for p is q q follows from p
q unless ┐ p
Conditional Statement: pàq is false when p is true and q is false.
True otherwise
Example
p: you go, q: I go. pàq means “If you go, then I go” is equivalent
to p only if q “You go only if I go” (not the same as “I go only if
you go” which is q only if p) 73
pàq
• p only if q:
• p cannot be true when q is not true
• The statement is false if p is true but q is
false
• When p is false, q may be either true or false
• Not to use “q only if p” to express pàq
• q unless ┐ p
• If ┐ p is false, then q must be true
• The statement is false when p is true but q is
false, but the statement is true otherwise

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Example
• If Maria learns discrete mathematics, then she will find a good
job
• Maria will find a good job when she learns discrete mathematics (q
when p)
• For Maria to get a good job, it is sufficient for her to learn discrete
mathematics (sufficient condition for q is p)
• Maria will find a good job unless she does not learn discrete
mathematics (q unless not p)

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Common mistake for pàq
• Correct: p only if q
• Mistake to think “q only if p”

76
Example
• “If today is Friday, then 2+3=6”
• The statement is true every day except Friday even though 2+3=6 is
false

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Biconditional statement

• Biconditional Statement: “p if and only if q”

• p ßà q is true when p, q have the same truth
value. False otherwise
• Also known as bi-implications
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Example
• P: “you can take the flight”, q: “you buy a ticket”
• P ßà q: “You can take the flight if and only if you buy a
ticket”
• This statement is true
• If you buy a ticket and take the flight
• If you do not buy a ticket and you cannot take the flight

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THANK YOU J