MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

LECTURE 5
Mathematical Language and Symbols

Characteristics of Modern Mathematics

1. Applicability and Effectiveness,

2. Abstraction and Generality,
3. Simplicity,
4. Logical Derivation, Axiomatic Arrangement,
5. Precision, Correctness, Evolution through Dialectic

The language of mathematics makes it easy to express the kinds of thoughts that mathematicians like to
express.
It is:

 precise (able to make very fine distinctions)

 concise (able to say things briefly)

 powerful (able to express complex thoughts with relative ease)

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 studying 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).

DEFINITION -expression

An expression is the mathematical analogue of an English noun; it is a correct arrangement of

mathematical symbols used to represent a mathematical object of interest.

An expression does not state a complete thought;

it does not make sense to ask if an expression is true or false.

The most common expression types are numbers, sets, and functions.

Numbers have lots of different names: for example, the expressions

55 2+32+3 102102 (6−2)+1(6−2)+1 1+1+1+1+11+1+1+1+1

all look different, but are all just different names for the same number.

This simple idea—that numbers have lots of different names—is extremely important in mathematics!

DEFINITION sentence

A mathematical sentence is the analogue of an English sentence; it is a correct arrangement of

mathematical symbols that states a complete thought.

Sentences have verbs.

In the mathematical sentence  ‘3+4=7’ , the verb is ‘==’.

A sentence can be (always) true, (always) false, or sometimes true/sometimes false.

For example, the sentence  ‘1+2=3’  is true.
The sentence  ‘1+2=4’  is false.
 MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD
LECTURE 5
Mathematical Language and Symbols

The sentence  ‘x=2’  is sometimes true/sometimes false: it is true when xx is 2, and false otherwise.
The sentence  ‘x+3=3+x’  is (always) true, no matter what number is chosen for x.

Letter Conventions
Often (but not always) letters have special uses:
  Examples What they usually mean

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

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.
Nouns, Verbs, Sentences
Even though we don't use the words "noun", "verb", or "pronoun" in Mathematics, you 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:

5x-7 xy2 -3/x

And they could be put together into a Sentence like this:

3x + 7 = 22
(And we actually do use the word  sentence  in mathematics!)
First ... what is a "Sentence" ?
Just like an English sentence, in mathematics a sentence says something:
English:
The sun is shining.
Hawaii is in the Pacific Ocean.
Mathematics:
3+3=6
10 is an even number
 

Now ... what is a "Closed Sentence" or an "Open Sentence" ?

 MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD
LECTURE 5
Mathematical Language and Symbols

Closed A closed sentence is always true (or always false).

Open A sentence is open when it is not known if it is true or false.

Examples:
8 is an even number   is closed (it is always true)

9 is an even number   is closed (it is always false)

n is an even
  is open (could be true or false, depending on the value of n)
number

In that last example:

 if n was 4 the sentence would be true,
 if n was 5 the sentence would be false,
 etc ...
But we didn't say what value n has!
So "n is an even number" may be true or false. So it is open.
Open Sentence
So, we get this definition:

An open sentence can be either true or false depending on what values are used.

Variables
The value we don't know is called a variable (also called an unknown)
In this example of an open sentence, x is a variable:
x + 3 = 8 
In this example, w and q are both variables:

w+q=2

Solving
Solving means finding a value for the variable that makes the sentence true.
Example: Solve x + 3 = 8

Let us subtract 3 from both sides:

x + 3 − 3 = 8 − 3    

x=5

Check: 5 + 3 = 8 is true

So we have solved x + 3 = 8 by making x = 5

 Some More Examples

Here are some more examples of closed and open sentences for you:
 MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD
LECTURE 5
Mathematical Language and Symbols

Closed Sentences:
A square has four corners   always true

6 is less than 5   always false

−3 is a negative number   always true

 
Open Sentences:
A triangle has n sides   Can be true or false (depending on the value of n)

z is a positive number   Can be true or false (depending on the value of z)

3y = 4x + 2   Can be true or false (depending on the values of x and y)

a+b=c+d   Can be true or false (depending on the values of a,b,c,d)