Module 2: The Nature of Mathematics

Lesson 2: Mathematical Language and Symbols

ACTIVITY

Directions: Identify what is being referred by the statements. Write your answer on the
space provided for each item.
1. It is a collection of ordered pairs in which each domain corresponds to a single value
in a certain range.
___________________________________________________________________
2. It is a system of words, signs and symbols which people use to express ideas,
thoughts and feelings.
___________________________________________________________________
3. It is a mathematical expression with three (3) terms.
___________________________________________________________________
4. It is a set of ordered pairs.
___________________________________________________________________
5. It is a collection of a well-defined objects.
___________________________________________________________________

ABSTRACTION

CHARACTERISTICS OF MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE

Language is the system of words, signs and symbols which people use to
express ideas, thoughts and feelings. Language consists of the words, their
pronunciation and the methods of combining them to be understood by a community.
Language is a systematic means of communicating ideas or feelings by the use of
conventionalized signs, sounds, gestures or marks having understood meanings
(Merriam-Webster, 2017).
Every science has its own lingo and word usage. Mathematical language is
the system used to communicate mathematical ideas. The language of mathematics
is more precise than any other language one may think of. Like other languages, it has
its own grammar, syntax, vocabulary, word order, synonyms, negations, conventions,
idioms, abbreviations, sentence structure and paragraph structure. It has certain
language features unparalleled in other languages, such as representation. The
language also includes a large component of logic. The ordinary language which
gradually expands to comprise symbolism and logic leads to learning of mathematics
and its useful application to problem situations.

EXPRESSIONS VS. SENTENCES

The mathematical term expression is equivalent to an English phrase. The most
common mathematical statements or sentences are called equations and inequalities.

SENTENCE EXPRESSION
▪ An equation is a SENTENCE. ▪ An expression is a PHRASE, a
▪ solves an equation sentence fragment.
▪ An equation HAS a relation ▪ simplifies an expression
symbol (i.e., =, >, <) ▪ An expression HAS NO relation
Ex. Ten is five less than a number. symbol (i.e., =, >, <)
10 = x – 5 Ex. five less than a number
A number is less than five. x–5
x<5

CONVENTIONS IN THE MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE

Symbols/Operations Basic English Terms

Equals, is equal to (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

x or ()
to, doubled, tripled, thrice, etc.

/ or ÷ Divided by, quotient, per, ratio, halved, over, over all.

CONVERSION OF ENGLISH EXPRESSIONS TO MATHEMATICAL SENTENCES
AND VICE-VERSA
Basic Mathematical
English Translation
Statements
• Three plus four equals seven.
• Three plus four is equal to seven.
• Three increased by four is seven.
• Three augmented by four is seven.
𝟑+𝟒=𝟕
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 product of seven and two is fourteen.
• Twice the number seven 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.

• The quotient of six and two is three.
• The ratio of six and two is equal to three.

𝟔÷𝟐=𝟑 Common errors:

• The quotient of two and six is three. (Connotes
different meaning)
• The ratio of two and six is equal to three.
(Connotes different meaning)
• The sum of six and two all over four is two.
𝟔+𝟐 • The ratio of six plus two, and four is equal to two.
=𝟐
𝟒 • Two is the quotient if the sum of six and two is
divided by four.
 Common errors:
• Six plus two divided by four is two. (Connotes
different meaning)
• Twice the difference of twelve and four 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)

• 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 and one is four.

𝟐(𝒙 + 𝟏) • The ratio of twice the sum of a number and one,

=𝟓
𝟑 and three is equal to five.

EXERCISE 1

Directions: Translate the following algebraic sentences into algebraic expressions.

Write your answer/s legibly on the space provided.
A.
ALGEBRAIC
SENTENCE
EXPRESSION
1. Five-sixths of the sum of p and 8 plus the product
of seven and g
2. Five more than a number is eight.
3. Two-fifths of the sum of seven and z plus the
product of 2 and w
4. Four-fifths of the sum of f and five minus the
product of nine and y

5. The sum of one-fifth of q, four-thirds of c, and six

B.
ALGEBRAIC
SENTENCE
EXPRESSION
5
1. 6
𝑧 − 6𝑛
1 2
2. 3
𝑘 + 3𝑧 − 5

3. 3𝑥 = 15

4. 10/𝑥

5. 2(𝑥 − 3) = 12

SETS
The concept of set formalizes the idea of grouping objects together and
viewing them as a single identity. A set is a collection of well-defined objects. The
objects that belong in a set are the elements, or members, of the set. Sets are
usually denoted by capital letters A, B, C, … and elements are usually denoted by
small letters 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, … .
There are many examples of sets. The following are sets:
1) The numbers 1, 3, 7, and 10.
2) The solutions if the equation 𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 + 2 = 0.
3) The vowels of the English alphabet: a, e, i, o u.
4) The cities of Mindanao.
5) The even integers.
In many areas of mathematics, the following sets of numbers are extensively used:
Natural Numbers or Counting Numbers, ℕ = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, … }
Whole Numbers, 𝑊 = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, … }
Integers, ℤ = {. . . , − 4, −3, −2, −1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, . . . }
Rational Numbers, ℚ= the set of all terminating or repeating decimals
Irrational Numbers, 𝐼= the set of all nonterminating, nonrepeating decimals
Real Numbers, ℝ = the set of all rational or irrational numbers
There are two ways of describing a set:
1) Roster/Listing Method/Tabular Form. In this method, a set is described by
listing element, separated by commas, within braces.

e.g. 𝐴 = {𝑎, 𝑒, 𝑖, 𝑜, 𝑢}
 𝐵 = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}

2) Set Builder/Rule Method. In this method, we write down a property or rule

which gives us all the elements of the set by that rule. Useful in describing
infinite sets.

e.g. 𝐴 = {𝑥: 𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑣𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑙 𝑜𝑓 𝐸𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ 𝑎𝑙𝑝ℎ𝑎𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑠}

𝐵 ={𝑥|𝑥∈𝑁 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥>7}
Types of Set
1) Finite Set. A set containing finite number of elements or no element.
e.g. B = {1,2,3,4,5 }
𝐴 = {𝑥: 𝑥 ∈ 𝑍, 6 > 𝑥 > −3}

Cardinality of a Finite Set. The number of elements in a given finite set is

called cardinal number of finite sets, denoted by 𝑛 (𝐴).
e.g. A= {10,20,30,40,50 }, so, 𝑛(𝐴) = 5

2) Infinite Set. A set containing infinite number of elements.

e.g. The set of real numbers.
𝐶 = { 𝑎 : 𝑎 𝑖𝑠 𝑜𝑑𝑑 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎 > 0 }

3) Empty/Null/Void Set. A set containing no element, it is denoted by ∅ or { }.

e.g. The collection of DOSCST students who are 200 years old.

4) Equal Sets. Two sets 𝐴and 𝐵are said to be equal, if every element of 𝐴is a
member of 𝐵and every element of 𝐵is a member of 𝐴and we write 𝐴 = 𝐵. Or
if both 𝐴 and 𝐵 have exactly the same elements.
e.g. 𝐴 = {𝑎, 𝑐, 𝑡}, B = {𝑐, 𝑎, 𝑡}, hence 𝐴 = 𝐵

5) Equivalent Sets. Two sets are said to be equivalent, if they have same
number of elements. If 𝑛(𝐴) = 𝑛(𝐵), then 𝐴 and 𝐵 are equivalent sets.
e.g. 𝐴 = {𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, 𝑑, 𝑒} 𝐵 = {𝐽𝑎𝑛, 𝐹𝑒𝑏, 𝑀𝑎𝑟, 𝐴𝑝𝑟, 𝑀𝑎𝑦}
𝑛(𝐴) = 5 so is 𝑛(𝐵) = 5 , hence 𝐴 and 𝐵 are equivalent sets.

6) Subset and Superset. Let A and B be two sets. If every element of A is an

element of B, then A is called subset of B and B is called superset of A.
Written as 𝐴 ⊆ 𝐵 or B ⊇ A.
e.g. 𝑈 = {1,2,3,4,5}, 𝐴 = {1,2}, 𝐵 = {3,4,5,1}
Hence, 𝐴 ⊆ 𝑈or U ⊇ 𝐴, B ⊆ 𝑈or U ⊇ 𝐵

7) Proper Subset. If 𝐴is a subset of 𝐵and 𝐴 ≠ 𝐵, then 𝐴is called proper subset
of 𝐵and we write 𝐴 ⊂ 𝐵.
 e.g. A = {1, 2, 3}, B = {1, 2, 3, 4}
Hence, 𝐴 ⊂ 𝐵 since 𝐴 ≠ 𝐵.
Notice that if 𝐴 is a proper subset of 𝐵, then it is also a subset of 𝐵.

8) Universal Set(𝑈). A set consisting of all possible elements which occurs

under consideration is called a universal set.
9) Power Set. The set formed by all the subsets of a given set 𝐴, is called power
set of 𝐴, denoted by 𝑃(𝐴).
10) Disjoint Sets. Two sets 𝐴 and 𝐵 are called disjoint, if 𝐴 ∩ 𝐵 = ∅. They do not
have any common element.

Venn Diagram
A Venn diagram is a pictorial representation of sets where sets are represented by
enclosed areas in the plane as shown in Figure 1. In a Venn diagram, the universal
set is represented by a rectangular region and a set is represented by circle or a
closed geometrical figure inside the universal set.

Figure 1

Set Operations
1) Union of Sets. The union of two sets A and B, denoted by 𝐴 ∪ 𝐵, is the set of
all those elements, each one of which is either in 𝐴or in 𝐵or both in 𝐴and 𝐵.
Figure 2 shows a diagram of the union of two sets.

Figure 2

2) Intersection of Sets. The intersection of two sets A and B, denoted by A ∩ B,

is the set of all those elements which are common to both A and B. If
A1 , A2 , … , An is a finite family of sets, then their intersection is denoted by
⋂ni=1 Ai or A1 ∩ A2 … ∩ An . Figure 3 shows a diagram of the intersection of two
sets.
 Figure 3

3) Complement of a Set. If 𝐴 is a set with 𝑈 as universal set, then complement

of a set 𝐴, Denoted by 𝐴′ or 𝐴𝑐 is the set 𝑈 − 𝐴. Figure 4 shows a diagram of
the complement of a set.

Figure 4
4) Difference of Sets. For two sets A and B, the difference A − B is the set of all those
elements of A which do not belong to B. Figure 5 shows a diagram of difference of
sets.

Figure 5
5) Symmetric Difference. For two sets 𝐴 and 𝐵, symmetric difference is the set (𝐴 −
𝐵) ∪ (𝐵 − 𝐴) denoted by 𝐴 ∆ 𝐵. Figure 6 shows a diagram of symmetric difference.

Figure 6
 EXERCISE 2

Directions: Answer the following items. Put your answers on the space provided.

1. List the elements of the following sets where 𝑃 = {1,2,3, … }

a. 𝐴 = {𝑥: 𝑥 ∈ 𝑃, 3 < 𝑥 < 12}
____________________________________________
b. 𝐵 = {𝑥: 𝑥 ∈ 𝑃, 𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛, 𝑥 < 15}
____________________________________________
c. 𝐶 = {𝑥: 𝑥 ∈ 𝑃, 4 + 𝑥 = 3}
____________________________________________
d. 𝐷 = {𝑥: 𝑥 ∈ 𝑃, 𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑚𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 5}
____________________________________________
2. Consider the following sets:
∅, 𝐴 = {1}, 𝐵 = {1,3},𝐶 = {1,5,9}, 𝐷 = {1,2,3,4,5},
𝐸 = {1,3,5,7,9}, 𝑈 = {1,2, … ,8,9}
Insert the correct ⊆ or ⊈ between each pair of sets:

a. ∅ ____ 𝐴 c. 𝐵 ____ 𝐶 e. 𝐶 ____ 𝐷 g. 𝐷 ____ 𝐸

b. 𝐴 ____ 𝐵 d. 𝐵 ____ 𝐸 f. 𝐶 ____ 𝐸 h. 𝐷 ____ 𝑈
3. Determine the powerset of 𝐴, P(𝐴), of the set 𝐴 = {𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, 𝑑}
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. In a survey of 60 people, it was found that:

25 read Newsweek magazine 9 read both Newsweek and Fortune
26 read Time 11 read both Newsweek and Time
26 read Fortune 8 read both Time and Fortune
3 read the three magazines
Fill-in the correct number of people who read the magazines in the Venn diagram.

N T

F
 5. Which of the following sets are equal?
𝐶 = {𝑥: 𝑥 ∈ 𝑃, 𝑥 < 3} 𝐸 = {1,2} 𝐺 = {3,1}
𝐷 = {𝑥: 𝑥 ∈ 𝑃, 𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑜𝑑𝑑, 𝑥 < 5} 𝐹 = {1,2,1} 𝐻 = {1,1,3}

Excerpts from the temporary work of Cereno, Domo, Valdez et. al (2020) Math 15 Instructional
Manual

“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.”

Napoleon Hill