Our lady of Fatima university

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Math and Physics Department
Pampanga Campus

MATM111
NATURE OF MATHEMATICS:
Mathematical Language and Symbols
Jerica Nicole R. Flores, MAEd
Lecturer
II. Nature of Mathematics: Mathematical Language and Symbols

2.1. 2.2. Sets 2.3.

Language of Elementary
Mathematics Logic

Learning Outline
 II. Nature of Mathematics: Mathematics in Our World

At the end of the chapter the students are expected:

Discuss the language, symbols, and conventions of
mathematics

Explain the nature of Mathematics as a Language.

Perform operations on Mathematical Expressions

completely.

Learning Outcomes
 Nature of Mathematics
Language of Mathematics

Language, a system of 
conventional spoken, manual 
(signed), or written symbols 
by means of which human 
beings, as members of a 
social group and participants 
in its culture, express 
themselves.
 Nature of Mathematics
Language of Mathematics
Language itself is:

PRECISE CONCISE POWERFUL

It can make very fine It can briefly express long It gives upon expressing
distinctions among set of sentences complex thoughts
symbols
 Nature of Mathematics
Language of Mathematics
Symbols commonly used in Mathematics are:
 Nature of Mathematics
Language of Mathematics
ENGLISH Language vs. MATHEMATICS Language:
English Mathematics
SYMBOLS English Alphabet and English Alphabet, Numerals,
punctuation Greek Letters, Grouping
Symbols, Special Symbols
Name Noun Expressions
Complete Thought Sentence Equation
Action Verbs Operations and other
actions (simplify, rationalize)
What is in a sentence Verbs Equality, inequality,
membership in a set
 Nature of Mathematics
Language of Mathematics
Comparison: English VS Mathematics Language
I. Name
English Example:   a. Carol

Mathematics Example:   a. 5

b. 1.2 + 6
  c. 3x – 3
d. ordered pair (x,y)
e. a function f(x)
 Nature of Mathematics
Language of Mathematics
Comparison: English VS Mathematics Language
II. Complete Thought
English Example:   a. He loves Mathematics.

Mathematics Example:   a. x = 5

b. 1 + 3 = 4
  c. 3x – 3 = 9 
d. 2x ≠ 8
 Nature of Mathematics
Language of Mathematics
Comparison: English VS Mathematics Language
III. Synonyms
English Example:   a. Group is to Association

Mathematics Example:   a. 1 + 2 + 3 + 5 and 8

b. 1 = 1
  c. ½ + ½ 
 Nature of Mathematics
Language of Mathematics
Difficulties in the Math Language
1. Different meaning or use of words in Math and English. 
“and” is equivalent to plus
“is” may have different meaning
2. The different uses of numbers: cardinal, ordinal, or nominal.
“cardinal numbers” ones used for counting
“ordinal numbers” ones used for telling positions
“nominal numbers” used only as a name to identify something
 RECITATION
Translation: English to Math Language and vis a vis
1. English to Math
Six less than twice a number is forty-five 2x - 6 = 45
A number minus seven yields ten – 7 = 10
A total of six and some number 6+x
Twelve added to a number x + 12
Eight times a number is forty-eight 8x = 48
The produce of fourteen and a number 14x
 RECITATION
Translation: English to Math Language and vis a vis
2. English to Math
Twice a number minus eight 2x – 8
The quotient of a number and seven is two x/7 = 2
Three-fourths of a number ¾x
The product of a number and ten is eighty 10x = 80
Eight less than a number is five x–8=5
. How many times does five go into 20/5 = x
twenty?
 Nature of Mathematics
Language of Mathematics
Translation: English to Math Language and vis a vis
2. Mathematics to English 
Choose a quantity to be represented by a variable, then write the
mathematical expression for each number.

a. A three-digit numbers whose hundreds digit is half the tens digit, and 
the tens digit is 2 more than the unit's digit.

½ (x + 2) (x + 2) (x)
Nature of Mathematics
Language of Mathematics
Remember this key words!
 Nature of Mathematics
Language of Mathematics
Remember this key words!

Equals (=)
is, are, was, were, will 
be
gives, yields
sold for, cost
 Nature of Mathematics
Sets

A set in mathematics is a
collection of well defined and
distinct objects, considered as
an object in its own right. Sets
are one of the most
fundamental concepts in
mathematics
Nature of Mathematics
Sets
Nature of Mathematics
Sets
Nature of Mathematics
Sets
Nature of Mathematics
Sets
 RECITATION
Multiple Choice: Basic concepts: Select the best answer to the following multiple-choice questions about basic concepts of sets.
 Nature of Mathematics
Elementary Logic

Logic serves as a set of rules that 
govern  the  structure  and 
presentation  of  mathematical 
proofs. It allows us to determine 
the validity of arguments in and 
out of mathematics.
 Nature of Mathematics
Elementary Logic
A proposition is a statement that is, by itself, either
true or false. They can be expressed in symbols P, Q,
R, or p, q, r.

a. Simple – means single idea statement

b. Compound – conveys two or more ideas
Nature of Mathematics
Elementary Logic
Nature of Mathematics
Elementary Logic
 Nature of Mathematics
Elementary Logic
Logical Connectives
STATEMENTS CONNECTIVES SYMBOLIC TYPE OF
FORM STATEMENTS
Not P Not ~P Negation
P and Q And P∧Q Conjunction
P or Q Or P∨Q Disjunction
If P, the q If…Then P →Q Conditional
P if and only if q If and only if P↔Q Bi-conditional
 Nature of Mathematics
Elementary Logic
QUANTIFIER
1. Universal Quantifier “for all” or “for every”, denoted by ∀
2. Existential Quantifier “there exists”, denoted by ∃
Nature of Mathematics
Elementary Logic
 RECITATION
1.) Let’s consider a propositional language where:
• p means “Paola is happy”,
• q means “Paola paints a picture”,

2.) Let:
A =“Aldo is Italian”
B =“Bob is English”.

Formalize the following sentences:

1. “Aldo isn’t Italian”
2. “Aldo is Italian while Bob is English”
3. “If Aldo is Italian then Bob is not English”
4. “Aldo is Italian or if Aldo isn’t Italian then Bob is English”
5. “Either Aldo is Italian and Bob is English, or neither Aldo is Italian nor Bob is English”
GO FLEX!