Modules in Mathematics in the Modern World Apple Erika B.

Acebron

Mathematics as a Language

OVERVIEW
Language is very powerful. It is used to
express our emotions, thoughts, and ideas.
However, if the recipient of the message cannot
understand you, then there is no communication at
all. It is very important that both of you understand
the language. Mathematics is very hard for others
to study because they are very overwhelmed with
the numbers, operations, symbols, and formulae.
On the other hand, if one knows how to interpret https://pixabay.com/photos/people-girls-women-students-2557396/
and understand these things, then the subject will be comprehensible.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Specifically, after learning the module, you are expected to:

• Discuss the language, symbols, and conventions of mathematics.

• Explain the nature of mathematics as a language.

• Perform operations on mathematical expressions correctly.

• Acknowledge that mathematics is a useful language.

• Identify what is a mathematical expression and a mathematical sentence.

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Modules in Mathematics in the Modern World Apple Erika B. Acebron

2.1 THE LANGUAGE OF MATHEMATICS

Comprehending a message is better understood once a person understand how
things are said and may know why it is said. The use of language in mathematics is far
from ordinary speech. It can be learned but needs a lot of efforts like learning a new
dialect or language. The following are the characteristics of the language of mathematics:
precise, concise, and powerful.

CHARACTERISTICS OF MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE

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)

The language of mathematics can be learned,

but requires the efforts needed to learn any foreign
language. Hence, you will get extensive practice with
mathematical language ideas that will enhance your
ability to correctly read, write, speak, and understand mathematics.

EXPRESSIONS VERSUS SENTENCES

You learned in your English subject that expressions do not state a complete
thought, but sentences do. Mathematical sentences state a complete thought. On the
other hand, mathematical expressions do not. You cannot test if it is true or false.
Mathematical Expression Mathematical Sentence
26.14 -11 + 7 = 4
5+2 1 – 4 = -3
x + √2 1•x=x

CONVENTIONS IN THE MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE

The common symbol used for multiplication is x but it can be mistakenly taken as
the variable x. There are instances when the centered dot (•) is a shorthand to be used
for multiplication especially when variables are involved. If there will be no confusion, the
symbol maybe dropped.
8 • y = 8y

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Modules in Mathematics in the Modern World Apple Erika B. Acebron

a • b • c = abc
t • s • 9 = 9st
It is conventional to write the number first before the letters. If in case the letters
are more than one, you have to arrange the letters alphabetically.
Sets are usually represented by uppercase letters like S. The symbols ℝ and ℕ
represent the set of real numbers and the set of natural numbers, respectively. A
lowercase letter near the end of the alphabet like x,y or z represents an element of the
set of real numbers. A lowercase letter near the middle of the alphabet particularly from i
to n may represent an element of the set of integers.

2.2 ELEMENTARY LOGIC: CONNECTIVES, VARIABLES,

QUANTIFIERS, AND NEGATIONS
Logic is the study of the methods and principles used to discriminate correct from
incorrect reasoning. As tertiary students, you must know how to reason out logically and
test the validity of an argument about any matter. You will learn about connectives,
quantifiers, negations, and variables which are essentials to modern logic and its symbolic
language.

CONNECTIVES

A declarative sentence is a sentence whose main verb is indicative. A statement

is a declarative sentence that is either true or false but cannot be both. A statement can
be simple or compound. Below are examples of simple and compound statements.

Simple Statement Compound Statement

The highest mountain in the Philippines is
Mt. Apo.
Cebu is the oldest City in the Philippines
The highest mountain in the Philippines is
Mt. Apo, and the second highest
mountain is Mt. Pulag
We will go to Camiguin island or we will
go to Mactan Island

To create a compound statement, connectives like and, or, if … then, and if and
only if are used. The symbols p, q, r, and s represent simple statements. Below are the
symbols used for connectives

Connective Symbols Type of Statement

and ^ Conjunction
or ˅ Disjunction
if…then Conditional
if and only if Biconditional

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Modules in Mathematics in the Modern World Apple Erika B. Acebron

The first example of compound statement which is “The highest mountain in the
Philippines is Mt. Apo, and the second highest mountain is Mt. Pulag.” may be written
using the following symbols.

Statement Symbol
The highest mountain in the Philippines is Mt. Apo p
The second highest mountain is Mt. Pulag. q
The highest mountain in the Philippines is Mt. Apo, and the p^q
second highest mountain is Mt. Pulag.

Another example of compound statement which is “We will go to Camiguin island

or we will go to Mactan island.” in symbols.

Statement Symbol
We will go to Camiguin island p
We will go to Mactan islang q
We will go to Camiguin island or we will go to Mactan island. p˅q

QUANTIFIERS AND NEGATIONS

“All freshmen students are graduates of the K-12 curriculum.” is a quantified

statement which is a statement containing quantifiers. The words like “all”, “there exists”,
and “none” are examples of quantifiers. Existential quantifiers like “there exists” and “at
least one” are used to emphasize the existence of something. Words like “none” and “no”
deny the existence of something, and words like “all” and “every” stress out that every
element satisfies a condition. These words are called universal quantifiers.

Every variable in a mathematical statement has a corresponding quantifier. The

quantifiers are “for all” and “there exists”. The phrases like “for all x in ℝ” or “for every x in
ℝ” is written as ∀x ϵ ℝ in symbols. The phrases “for some x in ℝ” or “there exist an x in ℝ
such that” is written as Ǝx ϵ ℝ.

The negation of the statement “All freshmen students are graduates of the K-12
curriculum” is “Some freshmen students are not graduates of the K-12 curriculum.”

Quantified Statement Negation

No Y are Z. Some Y are Z.
Some Y are Z. No Y are Z.
Some Y are not Z. All Y are Z.
All Y are Z. Some Y are not Z.

Examples,

Quantified Statement Negation

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Modules in Mathematics in the Modern World Apple Erika B. Acebron

1. All school gates are open. Some school gates are not open.
2. Some drinks in the school canteen are No drinks in the school canteen are
espresso-based. espresso-based.
3. No students are wearing their uniforms Some students are wearing their uniforms.

FEEDBACK

How did you go on so far with this module? Is mathematics easy or difficult?
How did you start working on each question written in this module? Well my dear
students, always remember that Mathematics is a language in itself. Hence, it is
useful in communicating important ideas. Also, Mathematics as a language is clear
and objective, and language conventions are necessary in mathematics for it to be
understood by all. Further, here are some ideas to debunk (1) Mathematics is not a
language but a useless set of formal rules and alien symbols, (2) Mathematics
confuses the communication of concepts and ideas, (3) Mathematics is full of
unnecessary symbols, rules, and conventions. I hope that eagerness to learn will
manifest in you as we proceed to our next lessons

SUMMARY
• The following are the characteristics of the language of mathematics: precise,
concise, and powerful.

• Mathematical sentences state a complete thought.

• Center dot (•) is a shorthand to be used for multiplication especially when variables
are involved.

• A set is a collection of any object.

• Finite set has definite number of elements. Otherwise, it is infinite set.

• A set is a subset of a given set if any one of the following three conditions holds:

it is the given set, it is the empty set, or each member of the set is also an element
of the given set.

• A set that has no members is called the empty set.

• A relation is a set of ordered pairs. A function maybe a one-to-one correspondence

or many-to-one correspondence.

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Modules in Mathematics in the Modern World Apple Erika B. Acebron

• A binary operation refers to joining two values to create a new one.

• Properties of addition and multiplication, as binary operations, on the set of real

numbers:

Closure Property, Commutative Property, Associative Property, Identity Property,

Distributive Property of Multiplication Over Addition, Inverse of Binary Operation

• The study of the methods and principles used to discriminate correct from incorrect
reasoning is called logic.

• Compound statements have connectives like and, or, if…then, and if and only if.

• To emphasize the existence of something, existential quantifiers like “there exists”

and “at least one” are used. Universal quantifiers are Words like “none” and “no”
which deny the existence of something, and words like “all” and “every” point out
that every element satisfies a condition.

• The quantifier “for all” or “for every” is represented by the symbol “∀”, and “for some
x” or “there exist” is expressed as Ǝ.

REFERENCES:
Manlulu, Esmeralda A., Hipolito, Liza Marie M. (2019). Mathematics in the Modern World
(1st Edition), Rex Book Store, Inc.

Valila, A. (2020) Module in Mathematics in the Modern World, University of Eastern

Philippines Laoang Campus

http://gofiguremath.org/natures-favorite-math/fibonacci-numbers/fibonacci-in-nature/

https://stemettes.org/zine/specials/fibonacci-in-nature/

Manlulu, Esmeralda A. et al. Mathematics in the Modern World (Chaps. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7

and 9) 1st Edition
Adam, John A. Mathematics in Nature: Modelling Patterns in the World
Adam, John A. et al. Mathematical Nature Walk
Aufmann, R. et al. Mathematical Excursions (Chaps. 1,3,4,5,8,11, and 13) 3rd Ed
(International Edition).
COMAP Inc. For all Practical Purposes, Introduction to Contemporary Mathematics (2nd
ed.)

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Modules in Mathematics in the Modern World Apple Erika B. Acebron

Fisher, Carol Burns. The Language of Mathematics (from One Mathematical Cat,
Please! By Carol Burns Fisher)
Fisher, Carol Burns. The Language and Grammar of Mathematics Hersh, R. What is
Mathematics Really? (Chaps. 4 & 5)
Johnson and Mowry. Mathematics, A Practical Odyssey (Chap 12)
Moser and Chen. A Student’s Guide to Coding and Information Theory
Stewart, Ian. Nature’s Numbers
Vistro-Yu, C. Geometry: Shapes, Patterns and Designs (A chapter for the new ed. Of
the Math 12 textbook for Ateneo de Manila University)