COMPUTER SYSTEMS INSTITUTE, Inc.

F. Imperial St., Capantawan, Legazpi City #09280280579

1st Semester, School Year 2022-2023

MODULE 3
MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE
AND SYMBOLS

Subject: Mathematics in the Modern World

Module: Three (3)
Instructor: Ms. Nerisa C. Ador
 Introduction
In writing and speaking the language of mathematics, it is essential that you know the
basic mathematical terms because you will most likely encounter mathematical sentences with
complicated structures. One very important element for a student to succeed in mathematics is
the ability to communicate effectively in mathematics (Schiro, 1997).
Most students have problems understanding mathematical concepts not because they are
difficult but because the ideas are presented in the language of math. Thus, familiarization with
mathematical language and symbols is important.
Module 3 will introduce the students to the basic symbolic logic and set theory. At the
end of this module, the students are expected to:
● Discuss the language, symbols, and conventions of mathematics. (K)
● Explain the nature of mathematics as a language. (K)
● Perform operations on mathematical expressions correctly. ( S)
● Acknowledge that mathematics is a useful language. (V)

Topics to be discussed:
I. Mathematics as a Language
II. Basic concepts in mathematics
III. Elementary Logic
IV. Formality

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I. Mathematics as a Language

This section introduces the students to the basic structure of mathematical language. It
covers the linguistic function of mathematics.
At the end of the section students should be able to:
1. Classify a group of words or symbols as mathematical expressions or
mathematical sentences; and
2. Identify verbs in mathematical sentences.
DIAGNOSTICS
Instructions: If you think the statement is correct, write AGREE. Otherwise, write DISAGREE.
1. In mathematical language, a mathematical expression is considered a noun.
2. Just like English sentences, mathematical sentences have verbs too.
3. Mathematics is a language with its own parts of speech.
4. “ 5+8=13” is a mathematical sentence.

Imagine the following scenario: you’re in math class, and

the instructor passes a piece of paper to each student. It is
announced that the paper contains Study Strategies for Students of
Mathematics; you are to read it and make comments. Upon
glancing at the paper, however, you observe that it is written in a
foreign language that you do not understand!
Is the instructor fair? Of course not. Indeed, the instructor is
probably trying to make a point. Although the ideas in the paragraph may be simple, there is no
access to the ideas without a knowledge of the language in which the ideas are expressed. This
situation has a very strong analogy in mathematics. People frequently have trouble understanding
mathematical ideas: not necessarily because the ideas are difficult, but because they are being
presented in a foreign language — the language of mathematics.

Although Mathematics and the English language have many things in common in terms
of structure, the rules in mathematics are stricter and some forms are more complicated. The
following items summarize some unique characteristics of the mathematical language:
● precise (which means it is able to make very fine distinctions or definitions among a set
of mathematical symbols.);
● concise (able to say things briefly);
● powerful (able to express complex thoughts with relative ease).

The language of mathematics can be learned but requires the effort needed to learn any foreign
language.

EXPRESSION VS. SENTENCES

Every language has its vocabulary (the words), and its rules for combining these words
into complete thoughts (the sentences). Mathematics is no exception. As a first step in
discussing the mathematical language, we will make a very broad classification between the
‘nouns’ of mathematics (used to name mathematical objects of interest) and the ‘sentences’
of mathematics (which state complete mathematical thoughts).

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 thoughts. A typical English sentence has at
least one noun, and at least one verb. For example, consider the sentence:

Carol loves mathematics

Here, ‘Carol’ and ‘mathematics’ are nouns; ‘loves’ is a verb.

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. The table below
summarizes the analogy. Sentences can be true or false. The notion of truth (i.e., the property of
being true or false) is of fundamental importance in the mathematical language.

ENGLISH MATHEMATICS

name given to an object of NOUN (person, place, thing) EXPRESSION

interest: Examples: Carol, Idaho, book Examples: 5 , 2 + 3 , 2

a complete thought: SENTENCE SENTENCE

Examples: Examples:
The capital of Idaho is Boise. 3+4=7
The capital of Idaho is Pocatello. 3+4=8

PARTS OF SPEECH OF MATHEMATICS

Just like any ordinary language, mathematics also has syntax and structure which can be
categorized into five forms.
1. Numbers are the very first symbols that can be used to represent quantity. These are
nouns (objects) in the English language.
2. Operation symbols like +,÷, ∨, ∧ can act as connectives in a mathematical sentence.
3. Relation symbols such as ≤, ∼ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 = are used to associate groups and act as verbs in
the mathematical language.
4. Grouping symbols such as (), {}, and [ ] are used to associate groups of numbers and
operators.
5. Variables are letters that represent quantities and act as pronouns.

EXAMPLE 1
a. 4, -5, 5+, 2e , mathematical expressions ( all do not state complete thoughts)
b. 5+2= 49 , mathematical sentence. The symbol “+” is a connective while “=” is the verb.
The sentence is true.
 c. 10 ÷ 2 < 3 , mathematical sentence. The symbol “÷ " is a connective while the operator
“<” acts as a verb. The statement is false.
EXAMPLE 2
Which of the following are sentences?
a. Manila is the capital of the Philippines.
b. The province of Cavite
c. (𝑥 + 1)2
d. 𝑥 − 1 = 3

Solution:

a. This is an English sentence with “is “ as the verb. The truth value is T since it is true that
Manila is the capital of the Philippines.
b. This is not a complete thought because it does not contain any verb.
c. This s just a mathematical expression that does not contain any relational symbols.
d. This is a mathematical sentence with the symbol “=” acting as the verb. The sentence is
true only for x=10.

EXAMPLE 3

The number ‘three’ has lots of different names. Give names satisfying the following properties.
There may be more than one correct answer.

a) the ‘standard’ name : 3

b) a name using a plus sign, + : 2+1

c) a name using a minus sign, − : 4-1

d) a name using a division sign, ÷ : 30÷ 10

EXERCISE 1.

1. Find other names for the number “ 12” using the following symbols.
a. +
b. ÷
c.
2. Identify the verb in each sentence. Determine whether the sentence is true or false.
a. EDSA is the longest road in Metro Manila.
b. The capital of Metro Manila is Quezon City.
c. 8 (2) − 6 = 100
d. π < 3
e. 4 − 5 = 5 − 4
3. Classify if each item is an expression (E) or a sentence (S)
 a. Pretty girl
b. 3+4 =4 + 3
c. The word “vowel” starts with a consonant.
d. 5×3
e. 5×3 =3 × 5
f. Hayward got injured in the game.
g. You and I

II. Basic Concepts of Mathematical Language: Sets, Functions, and Binary Operations

The mathematical language is full of terminologies and mathematical notations, and has
very precise and powerful meaning. Notations are very important in understanding mathematical
language which may include the use of sets, functions, and binary equations.

SETS

A set is a collection of objects which are called elements of the set.

● If an object a belongs to a particular set S then write a ∈ S.

● If a is not an element of the set then write a ∉ S.

There are two ways to represent the elements of the set.

1. Roster method lists down all the elements

a. Example 1

Set A is the set of counting numbers less than 6.

Set Notation: A={1,2,3,4,5}

This is a finite set with a cardinality of 5.

*cardinality is a measure of the number of elements in a set.

b. Example 2

Set B is the set of positive even integers greater than 8.

Set Notation: B={10,12,14,...}

B is an infinite set which uses dots to denote infinite sequences.

 2. Set Builder Notation presents the elements by stating their common properties. It is
useful when describing infinite sets.
a. Example 3

Set A is the set of counting numbers greater than 6.

Set Notation: A={x ⏐ x ∈ N and x > 6} where N is the set of counting

numbers.

It is read as “ The set of all x such that x is a counting number and greater
than 6.”

EXERCISE 3

1. Use the Roster Method to represent each given set.

a. The set of counting numbers greater than -1 and less than 9.
b. The set of natural numbers that are less than 7.
c. The set of composite numbers that are divisible by 4 and less than 18.
d. The set of months of a year ending with the letters “ber”.
e. The set A of odd natural numbers greater than or equal to 5.
2. Use the Set-builder Notation to represent each given set.
a. The set of natural numbers that are less than 7.
b. The set of composite numbers that are divisible by 4 and less than 18.
c. {1,4,9,16,25,36,49}
d. 8,10,12,14,16,18}

FUNCTION

A function f assigns each element x of set A to a unique element, y of set B. In symbols,

y=f(x).

● Let A & B be any two non-empty sets;

mapping from A to B will be a function
only when every element in set A has one
end, only one image in set B.
● Another definition of functions is that it is a
relation “f” in which each element of set
“A” is mapped with only one element
belonging to set “B”. Also in a function,
there can’t be two pairs with the same first
element.
 A function can be described in the following ways:

● Verbally
● Equations or functions
● Diagrams

Example

Which of the following is a function?

a. A = {(-2,4), (-1,1),(1,1),(2,4)}
b. B={(4,-2), (1,-1),(1,1),(4,2)}

Solution

● Verbally
○ Set A is a function since every first element in any ordered pair (x,y) is assigned
with exactly one element. The first element x is called the first coordinate and y is
the second coordinate.
● Equation or function
2 2
○ The function can be represented by the equation y= 𝑥 or f(x) =𝑥 with domain
D={-2,-1,1,2}, the set of all first coordinates, and range R={1,4}, the set of all
second coordinates.
● Diagram

● Set B is not a function since 1 is paired with two

numbers, -1 and 1, which violate the definition of a
function.
EXERCISE 4

For numbers 1 and 2, determine which is a function from x toy.

1. {(d,a), (a,a), (e,b),(b,c)}

2. {(2,1), (5,2), (5,3), (6,4)}

For numbers 3 and 4, list the ordered pair for each function using the given domain. Also, find
the range.

3. f(x)=x-3, with domain {4,8,12,16}

𝑡+1
4. g(t)= 𝑡 with domain {3,4,5}

For numbers 5 to 7, determine if each statement represents a function.

5. Each person is assigned a birth date.

6. Each course in a degree program is assigned a tuition fee.
7. Each unit in a condominium is assigned to only one parking lot.

BINARY OPERATIONS

An operation that takes two input elements from a set and gives a unique result that
belongs to the same set.

● Let's say we have elements a and b from set S. The result of the operation on a and b is
another element c from the same set S.Thus, binary operation can be defined as an
operation * performed on set S.
○ Example 1:
■ Addition, multiplication, division, and substraction of real numbers are
binary operations that combine two real numbers to produce a unique real
number.
● 3+2=5 ; 3,2.5,3+2 ∈ R
● 7 x 3= 21 ; 7,3,21,7 x 3 ∈ R
○ Real numbers are are simply the combination of rational
and irrational numbers, in the number system. In general,
all the arithmetic operations can be performed on these
numbers and they can be represented in the number line.
● Other binary operations can be defined as:

a * b = a+b-ab - this is defined; which means it is already given in the problem

● Example 2:
○ A binary operation * is defined as a*b= 4a-b. Evaluate 3*2
■ a*b=4a-b
■ 3*2=4(3)-2
 ■ 3*2=12-2=10

EXERCISE 5

1. Let ‘*’ be a binary operation on N defined by a*b=a-b+ab 2, then find 4*5.

𝑏
2. Let ‘*’ be a binary operation defined by a*b=3a +5. Find 8*3.
3. Let ‘*’ be a binary operation defined by a*b=2a+b-3. Find 3*4.
2
4. If x*y=𝑥 + 2y-xy, evaluate 5*3
5. If a*b=4a-b, evaluate 3*2