Lesson 2: Mathematical Expressions and Sentences

In this lesson, you will learn to translate expressions and sentences

using mathematical symbols.

Expressions versus Sentences

What is an expression?

We call the mathematical analogue of noun as EXPRESSION. Thus an expression is

a name given to a mathematical object of interest. Whereas, in English we need to talk about
people, places, and things. We know that mathematics has much different objects of
interest such as numbers, sets, matrix, ordered pair, etc.
Ideas regarding expressions
a. Expressions have different names. In mathematics, we frequently need to work with
numbers, these numbers are the most common mathematical expressions. And, numbers
have lots of different names.
Example: The number 5 can be written in many ways as follows:
2+3 10 2 (6 - 2) + 1 1 + 1+ 1 +1+ 1
This simple idea- that numbers has lots of different names – is extremely important
in mathematics. This is the same concept as synonyms in English (words that have the
same (or nearly the same) meaning.

b. Common in solving expressions is to simplify. The most common type of problem

involving expressions is to simplify. But what does simple mean?
 Fewer symbols
 Fewer operations
 Better suited to current use
 Preferred/ style/format
Examples:
1. 3 + 1 + 5 and 9 are both names for the same number but 9 uses fewer symbols.
2. 3 + 3+ 3 + 3 + 3 and 5x3 are both names for the same number, but 5x3 uses fewer
operation
3. 1.33 and have the nearly the same values, but for some learners it may be suited
to consider as this is easier for them to understand its value. Besides, is not
exactly equal to 1.33.
4. We write ½ instead of 13/26. We usually write reduced form or simplest form as
fraction in simplest form is necessary.
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What is a mathematical sentence?

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

assignment of mathematical symbols that states a complete thought. Sentences are used to
state complete thoughts. A typical English sentences has at least one noun, and at least one
verb. For example, Joseph loves Mathematics.

Truth of a Sentence
The notion of truth (the property of being true or false) is of fundamental
importance in the mathematical language.

Ideas regarding mathematical sentence

a. Mathematical Sentences have verbs and connectives. Just as English sentences have
verbs, so do mathematical sentences.
Example:
In the mathematical sentence 3 + 4 = 7. The equal sign is actually the verb and
indeed one of the most popular mathematical verbs. The symbol “+” in 3 + 4 = 7 is a
connective which is used to connect objects of a given type.

b. Truth of Sentences. Sentences can be true or false. It makes sense to ask the truth of a
sentence. Ask if Is it true? Is it false? Is it sometimes true? Is it sometimes false?

How to decide whether something is a Sentence?

 Read it aloud, and ask yourself the question: Does it state a complete thought? If YES,
then it is a sentence.
 You may also ask yourself the question: Does it make sense to ask about the truth of it?

Conventions in the Mathematical Language

Mathematical conventions are particular symbols, facts, names, and notations used by
mathematicians, engineers, scientists, and other users of mathematics in their writings,
studies, and work.
Mathematical symbols and names are conventional. People abide by the conventions
to understand each other without having to constantly redefine terms. Some of the most
common mathematical conventions include the following:
1. The equal sign “=” is one of the most common mathematical symbol used to express
equality of two expressions written on both sides of the symbols. It is used to replace
the word “is” but not always depending on the meaning thought of the statement.
2. When dealing with order of operations, it is a convention to perform the order of
operations as follows: parentheses, exponentiation, multiplication and division (from
left to right), and addition and subtraction (from left to right). We can use the
mnemonic PEMDAS to perform the order of operations.
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3. Addition of numbers when done vertically is performed from right to left.

4. The arithmetic operations are implied by the following words/terms:
a. Addition “+” : plus, add, sum, total, more than, increase by,…
b. Subtraction “–” : minus, subtract, difference, less than, take away, decrease by,
deduct,…
c. Multiplication “x”: times, multiply, product, groups of, …
d. Division “ ”: divide, quotient, split, share, …
5. Multiplication may be denoted by a dot “.”, a parenthesis (), or asterisk “ ”. Division
may be denoted by the following forms: ” or “a/b” such as 15 , can be written
as or .
6. A variable such as x is usually placed to y the right of the equal sign and the expression
that defines the variable to the right of the equal sign. For example: Let x = the set of
even integers between 10 and 20.
7. A bar is placed over the digits that repeat in writing decimals such as 1. for
expressing 1.33… or 4/3.
8. One dozen means 12.
9. Any number divided by zero is undefined.
10. When a number is drawn horizontally, the convention is that the positive direction is to
the right; and when the number line is drawn vertically, the positive direction is upward.
11. A set of consecutive numbers is expressed by the first and last numbers as “the integers
from 5 to 10” would indicate that there is actually 6 integers, even without using the
word inclusive. On the other hand, the expression as “the integers between 5 and 10”
indicates that there are actually four integers only which means that 5 and 10 are
excluded in the set.
12. The following are standard symbols used as conventions in mathematics:
Conventions Meaning
a. x y x is greater than or equal to y
b. x y x is less than or equal to y
c. x y x is not equal to y
d. x the absolute value of x
e. x y line x is perpendicular to line y
f. the square root of x
g. the cube root of x
h. the square of x
i. x y x is approximately equal to y
j. x% x percent