Topic 1: Nature of Mathematics as a L anguage
Characteristics of Mathematical
Language
A. Precise means exact and
accurate. It is often used in
mathematical or scientific contexts in
which definite, fixed statements or
measurements are demanded.
B. Concise use of symbols to be
able to express more. It means
stating something succinctly, using
as few words as possible yet still
conveying the full meaning.
C. Powerful means be able to
express complex thoughts with
relative ease.
Expressions versus Sentences
Expression - name given to
mathematical object of interest
• Examples: Number, Set, Matrix,
Ordered pair, Average
Sentence - must state a complete
thought
• TRUE : 1+ 2 = 3
• FALSE: 1 + 2 = 4
A Mathematical sentence is the
analogue of an English sentence; it is a
correct assignment of mathematical
symbols that states a complete
thought. It has verbs and connectives.
Also we have to consider the notion of
truth (the property of being true or false)
is of fundamental importance in the
mathematical language. Instead of
writing sentences with words, we write
mathematical sentences with numbers
and symbols.
Examples:
a. In the mathematical sentence
6+9 = 15. The equal sign is
actually the verb and indeed
one of the most popular
mathematical verbs.
b. The symbol “+” in 6 + 9 = 15 is a
connective which is used to
connect objects of a given
type.
c. Sentences can be true or false.
It makes sense to ask the truth of a
sentence. Ask if it is true? Is it false?
Is it sometimes true? Sometimes
false?
Conventions in the Mathematical
Language
• In mathematics, we frequently
need to work with numbers, these
numbers are the most common
mathematical expressions. And,
numbers have lots of different
names and they are in simplified
form (fewer symbols, fewer
operations, better suited to
current use and preferred/
style/format)- is extremely
important in mathematics. This is
the same concept as synonyms in
English (words that have the
same or nearly the same)
meaning.
Examples:
• a. 5, 2 + 3, 10÷2 , (6 - 2) + 1, or
1 + 1+ 1 +1+ 1
• b. 3 + 3+ 3 + 3 + 3 and 5×3 are
both names for the same
number, but 5×3 uses fewer
operation.
1
• c. 3.25 units versus 3 unit
4
(fraction in simplest form
necessary).
1 13
• d. We write instead of
2 26
usually write fraction in reduced
form or simplest form.
What is the Grammar of Mathematics?
• The grammar of mathematics is
the structural rules governing the
use of symbols representing
mathematical objects. The main
reason for the importance of
mathematical grammar is that
statements of mathematics are
supposed to be precise.
• Mathematical sentences
become highly complex if the
parts that made them up were
not clear and simple which
makes it difficult to understand.
Some difficulties in math
language are:
• (a) The word "is" could mean
equality =, inequality (, ≥, , ≤) or
membership(∈, ∉ ) in a set;
• (b) Different uses of a number; to
express quantity (cardinal), to
indicate the order (ordinal), and
as a label (nominal);
• (c) Mathematical objects may be
represented in many ways, such
as sets and functions; and
• (d) The words "and' & "or" means
different from their English uses.
Examples:
is • Express the following using
mathematical symbols
. We a. 3 is the square root of 9
b. 15 is greater than 10
c. 103 is a prime number
• Answer:
a. 3 = √9
b. 15  10
c. 103 ∈ 𝑃 where P is a prime
number
What are the Basic Concepts and Objects that we use in Mathematics?

• To better understand mathematical language, one must have an understanding

of at least a few of the four basic mathematical objects and concepts.

a. Objects in Mathematics are Numbers, Variables, and Operations (unary & binary).

b. Four Basic Concepts are: sets (relationships, operations, properties), relations

(Equivalence relations), functions and binary operations.

Operation: Unary and Binary

A Unary operation is an operation on a single element

Examples:

a. negative of 5

b. multiplicative inverse of 7

c. Squaring 4

d. finding the square root of 9

A binary operation is an operation that combines two elements of a set to give a

single element.

A binary operation on a set A is a function that takes pairs of elements of A

and produces elements of A from them.

We use the symbol * to denote arbitrary binary operation on a set A.

Example: Binary operation

a. Multiplication of 3 and 4 gives 3 X 4 =12

b. Addition of 3 and 5 is 8 3+5 = 8

c. the difference of 7 and 2 7-2

d. Divide 21 by 3 21/3
Four Properties of binary operations:

1. Commutative Property: For all real numbers x and y.

• 𝑥∗𝑦 =𝑦∗𝑥

• Example for addition operation: 2 + 4 = 4 + 2

• For example, multiplication on real numbers is said to be commutative since

3 × 6 = 6 × 3.

2. Associative Property: For all real numbers x, y and z.

• x* (y*z) = (x*y)* z

• For example, addition operation: 2 + (4 + 6) = (2 + 4) + 6

• Example for multiplication operation: 3 × (6 × 9) = (3 × 6) × 9

3. Existence of Identity element e for all real number x such that

• 𝑒 ∗ 𝑥 = 𝑥 ∗ 𝑒 = 𝑥.

• The identity element for addition is 0 such that 0 + 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 0 = 𝑥 .

• The identity element for multiplication is 1 where 1 ≠ 0 such that

• 1×𝑥 = 𝑥×1 = 𝑥

4. Existence of Inverse element a for all real number x such that

• 𝑎 ∗ 𝑥 = 𝑥 ∗ 𝑎 = 𝑒.

• The additive inverse of element 𝑎 is −𝒂 such that

• (−𝑎) + 𝑎 = 𝑎 + (−𝑎) = 0.

• For instance, the additive inverse element of 5 is −𝟓 such that 5 + (−5) = (−5) +
5 = 0. Adding the number and its inverse (negative) of that number results to
additive identity element 0. The inverse of a number will always be distinct and
unique.
𝟏
• The multiplicative inverse of element 𝑎 is where 𝒂 ≠ 0 (reciprocal of 𝑎) such that
𝒂
1 1
×𝑎=𝑎× =1
𝑎 𝑎

1 1
• The multiplicative inverse of 5 is 5 × ( ) = ( ) × 5 = 1. Multiplying the number and
5 5
its inverse (reciprocal) of that number results to multiplicative identity element 1.
Topic 2: the L anguage Variables

Presentation of Content
• Suppose we say something like “At time t the speed of a car is S. The letters t and
S stand for real numbers and they are called variables.

• More generally, a variable is any letter used to stand for a mathematical object,
whether or not one thinks of that object as changing through time. (1) it has one
or more values or (2) it is equally true for all elements in a given set.

Example:

• Writing sentences using variables

a. Is there a number with the property doubling it and adding 5 and gives the same
result as squaring it?

b. Numbers with the property that the sum of their squares equals the square of
their sum?

c. Given any real number, its square is nonnegative.

• Solution:

a. Let x be the number then 2𝑥 + 5 = 𝑥 2 .

b. 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 = (𝑎 + 𝑏)2 .

c. For any real number z, 𝑧 2 ≥ 0.

Universal Statement
Universal Statement says that a certain property is true for all elements in a set.

Definition:

Let P be a propositional function with domain of discourse D. The statement for all x, P(x)
is said to be a Universally Quantified Statement.

The statement for all x, P(x) may be written as:

“∀𝑥, 𝑃(𝑥)". The symbol ∀ means “for all” and is called the universal quantifier.
Examples:

Universal quantified statement

• a. All counting numbers are greater than zero. ∀𝑐, (𝑐 ≥ 0), 𝑐 ∈ Counting Numbers

• b. ∀𝑥, (𝑥 2 ≥ 0), 𝑥 ∈ 𝑅

• c. ∀𝑥, (𝑥 2 − 1 ≥ 0), 𝑥 ∈ 𝑍 +

• d. ∀𝑥, (𝑥 2 − 1 ≥ 0), 𝑥 ∈ 𝑅

• e. All birds can fly.

• f. Every student in the class wear socks.

Existential Statement
An Existential Statement says that there is at least one thing for which the property is
true.

Definition:

Let P be a propositional function with domain of discourse D. The statement there exists
x, P(x) is said to be Existentially Quantified Statement .

The statement there exists x, P(x) may be written as:

“∃x, P(x)".

The symbol ∃ means “there exists” and is called the existential quantifier.

Examples:

• Existentially Quantified Statement

a. ∃𝑥, (2𝑥 + 1 = 0), 𝑥 ∈ 𝑍

𝑥
b. ∃𝑥, ( > 0) 𝑥 ∈ 𝑍
𝑥 2 +1

c. ∃𝑥, (𝑥 2 > 𝑥), 𝑥 ∈ 𝑍 −

d. ∃𝑥, (𝑥 > 1 → 𝑥 2 = 𝑥), 𝑥 ∈ 𝑅

Topic 3: L anguage of Set
Content Presentation:

• A set is a well-defined collection of distinct objects called elements. The

elements that make up a set can be anything: numbers, people, letters of the
alphabet, other sets, and so on. It is desirable that sets be well-defined to ensure
the membership or non-membership of an object in a given set. Thus, 5 ∈ N
mean 5 is an element of set N.

• It is conventionally denoted by Capital letters and with braces. The braces { }

mean “the set whose elements or member are” such as:

• Z = {2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12,...} is the set of all positive even integers or

• A = { 1, 3, 5, 7, …} means that A is the set of all positive odd integers or

• NOTE: The notation {x | x...} is read as the set of all x such that x is....

Examples:

• A= the set of counting numbers.

• B =the set of vowels.

• C= the set of letters in the word “Ibanag”.

• D= the set of 2nd Year CPAD students enrolled in GEC 103 for first semester
Academic Year 2019-2020.

• E = the set of letters in the English alphabet.