CHAPTER II.

MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE
AND SYMBOL
(PART 1)
Katelyn D. Escalante, LPT
Language & Mathematical
Language
■ Language – the system of words, signs and symbols
which people use to express ideas, thoughts and
feelings.
■ Mathematical Language - the system used to
communicate mathematical ideas
 Mathematical Noun - numbers, measurements, shapes, spaces,
functions, patterns, data and arrangement
 Mathematical Verb - may be considered as the four main actions
attributed to problem solving and reasoning.
- Mathematical Verb
According to Kenney, Hancewicz, Heuer,
Metsisto and tuttle (2005), these four main actions are:
■ Modelling and Formulating
■ Transforming and Manipulating
■ Inferring
■ Communicating
- Mathematical Verb
1. Modelling and Formulating - creating
appropriate representations and relationships to
mathematize the original problem.
2. Transforming and Manipulating - changing
the mathematical form in which a problem is
originally expressed
- Mathematical Verb
3. Inferring – interpreting and generalizing the
result
4.Communicating – reporting what has been
learned about a problem to a specified audience.
Characteristic of Mathematical
Language
According to Jamison (2000) the use of language in
mathematics differs from the language of ordinary speech in
three important ways.
■ First, mathematical language is non-temporal.
■ Second, mathematical language is devoid of emotional
content
■ Third, mathematical language is precise
Mathematical Expressions and
Sentences
Operational Terms and Symbols
Addition Subtraction Multiplication Division
+ - X, (), * ÷,/
Plus Minus Multiplied by Divided by
The sum of The difference The product of The quotient of
Increased by of times per
Total Decreased by
Added to Subtracted from
Translating Words into Mathematical
Symbols
Let’s try this
1. The product of three and a number.
3n, 3*n
2. Five times the sum of a number and two.
5*(n+2), 5(n+2)
3. Six subtracted from a number p
p – 66
4. The reciprocal of eight added to the product of five and a number x.
𝟏
+ 5x
𝟖
Mathematical Expression
- It consists of term and separated with other term with either
plus or minus.
Numerical Coefficient - number together with the variable
Literal Coefficient – the variable itself
Constant – any single number from the expression
Example. 10x + 11 constant

numerical Literal
Mathematical Sentence
- Combination of two mathematical expression using
a comparison operator.

< >= ≠ ≤ ≥
Equation & Inequality
Equation Inequality
4x + 3 = 19 15x -5 < 3y
6y – 5 = 55 18 > 16.5
Open Sentence & Closed
Sentence
■ Open Sentence - means that it uses variables,
meaning that it is not known whether or not the
mathematical sentence is true or false.
■ Closed Sentence – that known to be either true or
false. It can be a TRUE CLOSED SENTENCE and FALSE
CLOSED SENTENCE.
Examples:
■ 2xy < 3y
OPEN
■ 18 w > 16.5
OPEN
■ 2 (x + y ) = 2x + 2y
TRUE CLOSED
■ 9 is an even number
FALSE CLOSED
■ 10 – 1 = 8
FALSED CLOSED
Conventions in the Mathematical
Language
■ CONTEXT - this is the context in which we are
working, or the particular topics being studied,
■ CONVENTION - where mathematicians and
scientists have decided that particular symbols
will have particular meaning
 Thank You
for Listening