MANUEL V GALLEGO FOUNDATION COLLEGES, INC.

INSTITUTE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

MODULE 3: MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE

Learning Objectives:
- Effectively discuss concepts associated with viewing Math as a language.

Introduction
Mathematical Language
Language is “a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional
symbols”. It is the code humans use as a form of expressing themselves and communicating with
others. Mathematics is also a system of communication about objects like numbers, variables,
sets, operations, functions, and equations. It is a collection of both symbols and their meaning
shared by a global community of people who have an interest in the subject.

Now, why would anyone want to learn mathematics? What is it useful for? Think of
mathematics as a collection of useful tools to help you get things done. These tasks my be as
simple as budgeting money or complex like calculating a satellite’s speed as it orbits the Earth.
All of these are built on the same knowledge expressed using mathematical language.

Mathematics is a universal language, the only one shared by all human beings regardless
of culture, religion, or gender. A person uses the same calculation process when computing, for
example, interest earned for investments in peso, dollar, euro, or yen. Not everyone can be
proficient in English, French, Chinese, or Japanese but most possess math literacy. This shared
language called numeracy connects people across continents and through time. Mathematics is
not just for mathematics major, but for everyone. It is not just about calculating complicated
equations, but about making lives more efficient, more secure, richer, and fuller.

Elements of the Mathematical Language

The Language of Mathematics was designed so we can write about:

Things like Numbers, Sets, Functions, etc

What we Do with those things (add, subtract, multiply, divide, join together, etc)

Characteristics of Mathematical Language

- precise

- concise = The square root of x raised to the power of 2 divided by 5. = sqrt(x^2/5)

- powerful = F=ma; E=mc^2; hyp2 = side 2 + base2

Symbols

Mathematics uses symbols instead of words:

• There are the 10 digits: 0, 1, 2, ... 9

• There are symbols for operations: +, −, ×, /, ...
• And symbols that "stand in" for values: x, y, …
• And many special symbols: π, =, <, ≤, …

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Letter Conventions

Letters often have special uses:

Examples What they usually mean

Start of the alphabet: a, b, c, ... constants (fixed values)

From i to n: i, j, k, l, m, n positive integers (for counting)
End of the alphabet: ... x, y, z variables (unknowns)

Those are not rules, but they are often used that way.

Example: y = ax + b People
will assume that a and b are fixed
values, And that x is the one that
changes, which in turn
makes y change.

UPPERCASE vs lowercase
It is also common to use

• lowercase for variables (like x or y) or counting values (like m or n) and

• UPPERCASE for sets (like X or Y) and special constants

Example: A = {1, 2, 3} ==> Using an uppercase "A" makes it easy to tell it is a set.

Nouns, Verbs, Sentences

We don't use the words "noun", "verb", or "pronoun" in Mathematics, but we can
imagine these similarities to English:

Nouns could be fixed things, such as numbers, or expressions with numbers:

15 2(3-1/2) 42

The Verb could be the equals sign "=", or an inequality like < or >

Pronouns (things like it, he, you, etc) could be variables like x or y:

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5x-7 xy2 -3/x

An Adjective could be a subscript like the "n" in xn

And they could be put together into a Sentence like this: 3x + 7 = 22

And we actually do use the word sentence in mathematics!

What is a Mathematical Sentence?

Definition and examples;

A mathematical sentence, also called mathematical statement, statement, or proposal, is a

sentence that can be identified as either true or false, sometimes true and/or sometimes false.

For example, " 6 is a prime number " is a mathematical sentence or simply statement.

Of course, " 6 is a prime number " is a false statement!

More examples of mathematical sentences or statements

6 + 8 = 2 × 7 ( This is a true statement )

9 + 1 = 0 + 11 ( This is a false statement )

If an integer n is odd, then 2n is an even number.( This is a true statement)

A stop sign is not in the shape of an octagon (This is a false statement)

MATHEMATICAL SYMBOLS

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FACTS TO REMEMBER:

Phrases/Sentences Mathematical Translations

1. Times as much Multiply

2. More than Add

3. Decreased Subtract

4. Increased by Add

5. Separate 28 into two parts Find two numbers whose sum is 28

6. Percent of Multiply

7. Is, was, will be Equal sign

8. If 7 exceeds 2 by 5, then 7 - 5= 2 Exceeds - minus

By - equal sign

9. At most Less than or equal to

At least Greater than or equal to

10. No unit labels such as feet, degrees

and pesos are used in the equations….

11. 0 is an integer (Z) 0 Z

12. x is multiple of 5 A = {5, 10, 15, …..}

13. x is an odd number x = {1, 3, 5, …..}

14. The values of x range from -2 to 5 -2 <= x <= 5

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ACTIVITY1: Elements of the Mathematical Language

1. Identify the following as either expression or a sentence.

a. 3x + 7; x + 2x - 5; x2; x - 8

b. x + 3 = 13; x + 3x = 2x; x + 3x = 0; x = 12

c. 2 < 5; 2 > 5; 2 + 3 = 5; 2x => 3

d. 2 + 4; 6x ; 25x2 ; x + a

II. Give the formula for the following;

a. Area of a square

b. Perimeter of a square

c. Circumference of a circle

d. Area of a circle

III. On the following sentences, indicate their truth values (True/False)

a. Makati is the capital of the Philippines.

b. 3 + 4 = 7

c. x + y = y + x for every pair of real numbers x and y

d. x + 3 = 15

e. x + 1 = 5 if x = 1

f. Answer this question.

EVALUATING FUNCTION
A function f(x) is said to be defined if the value of y (dependent variable) exists for a given
value of x (independent variable). Any value of y or f(x) can be obtained when we assign a
specific value of x in the domain of the function defined by y=f(x).

1. Let f(x) = x2 + 5, evaluate the following;

a. f(2a)

b. f(a - 1)

2. Given f(x) = 3x2 - 2x + 2, find the value of each of the following;

a. f(-5)

b. f(1/2)

3. Let f(x) = 4x -3, and find f(3), f(-2), and f(2t)

4. Let h(t) = 2t2 - 3t + 6, find h(4), h(-4), and h(a + b)

5. If f(x) = 1/(x + 1), find these function values f(3), f(-1), f(1/w)

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Translating English Phrases & Sentences to Mathematical Language

Mathematical Statements

Mathematical Phrase is a math statement that does not express a complete meaning.
Examples:
1. four more than thrice a number x ==> 3x + 4
2. the sum of a number x and five diminished by six ==> x + 5 - 6
3. five times the square of 2/3 of a number x ==> 5(2/3x)^2

Mathematical Sentence is a math statement that expresses a complete thought. It asserts an

equality or inequality.
Examples:
1. Twice a number y decreased by 3 is equal to 21. ==> 2y - 3 = 21
2. Jasmin’s age x four years ago is 20. ==> x - 4 = 20
3. Thrice a number x is greater than two more than twice that number. ==> 3x > 2x + 2

Expressing Mathematical Statements in Symbols

- Mathematical problems should be expressed into mathematical symbols before
they can be solved.

Examples:
STATEMENTS SYMBOL
1. Twice the sum of x and y. 2(x+y)
2. The square of the sum of a and b. (a+b)2
3. Thrice the sum of the squares of m and n. 3 ( m2 + n2 )
4. P subtracted from Q Q-P
5. One half the product of x and y 1 xy or xy
2 2
6. 5 more than a number r is 25 r + 5 = 25
7. 10 less than x is equal to 3 times x x – 10 = 3x
8. 10 greater than twice a number n is 200 2n + 10 = 200
9. The sum of three consecutive integers x is 60. x + (x + 1) + ( x + 2 ) = 60
10. My age A 10 years ago is 15. A – 10 = 15

VERBAL PROBLEMS IN ONE UNKNOWN

PROBLEM SOLVING TECHNIQUES

When you have to solve applied problems or "word problems" the following stepwise procedure
will be very helpful:
1. Read the problem carefully - as many times as you need to understand the information and
the question.
2. Introduce a letter to denote an unknown quantity. Start with the phrase “Let x = . . .” or “Let
n = . . .”. Usually, this quantity is what you have to evaluate.

3. Draw a figure if possible.

4. Set up a table or a list of values of the quantities given in the problem.
5. Set up an equation, using the table or list of values.
6. Solve the equation.
7. Check that your solution if consistent with the given information.

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INSTITUTE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

ACTIVITY2: Math Translation

Exercise1: Write the following statements in symbols. Use x for the variable.

1. Thrice the sum of a number and 7 __________________________

2. Bing’s age 15 years from now is 40. __________________________
3. Twice the quotient of a number and 2 __________________________
4. The square of the sum of a number and 3 __________________________
5. The sum of a number and the cube of that number is 30. __________________________
6. The sum of 4 consecutive integers is 200. __________________________
7. The quotient of 10 times the square of a number and
the number. ==> __________________________
8. 20 subtracted from 5 times a number is equal to 80. __________________________
9. x is twice y. __________________________
10. 106.5 is the interest earned at 6.5% of the principal __________________________
amount.

Exercise2: Solve the equation for x.

1. 5x - 8 = 12
2. 4(3x -8) + 5 = x - 5
2. -2(3x + 5) = -17 + x

Exercise3: Number Problems

1. The sum of three consecutive integers is 210. Find the three consecutive integers.
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2. The sum of three integers is 96. The third is 6 more than the second, and the second is 4 times
the first. Find the three integers.
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3. One number is 10 less than the other. Twice their sum is 60. Find the numbers.
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4. Ms. Gina Go owned a jewelry store. She marked up all merchandise at 50%. If she sold a
diamond ring for P828,000, how much did she pay for the wholesaler?
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5. How much pure alcohol must a nurse add to 10cc of 60% alcohol solution to strengthen it to a
90% solution?
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6. Solve for x: 4(x + 2) = 6x /2

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7. Solve for x: x/12 - x/10 = 1

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