Translate English Phrase to

Mathematical Phrase
 Algebra
- comes from the Arabic word, al-jabr (which means
restoration), which in turn was part of the title of a
mathematical book written around the 820 AD by Arab
mathematician, Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi.
While this book is widely considered to have laid the
foundation of modern Algebra, history shows that ancient
Babylonian, Greek, Chinese and Indian mathematicians
were discussing and using algebra along time before this
book was published.
 To understand Algebra
better, we must learn how to
translate verbal phrases to
mathematical expressions. We
will also use mathematical
symbols in solving problems in
real life.
LANGUAGE of ALGEBRA
1. NUMERALS 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
2. SYMBOLS/SIGNS:
ENGLISH WORDS
Symbols In order In reverse order

Plus, the sum of, more than

increased by, the added to
+ total of,
Symbols ENGLISH WORDS
In order In reverse order

- Minus,
subtracted to,
less,
subtracted from,
less than,
fewer than
take away,
the difference of,
diminished by,
reduced by,
Times,
multiplied by,
the product of
Alwas in order
quotient of, divided
by,
the ratio of
Reminders:
1. The times sign (x) is seldom used in algebra
since it could be mistaken for the variable x.
2. The division symbol () is rarely used in
algebra. More often we use the fraction bar.
Thus, a b is written as .
Examples: Translate to verbal phrase
m+2
- m increased by 2 - 2 more than m

- m plus 2 - 2 added to m
- the sum of m and 2
- the total of m and 2
4–y
- 4 decreased by y - y subtracted from 4
- 4 minus y - y fewer than 4
- 4 diminished by y - y less than 4
- the difference of 4 and y
b2 2
- the quotient of b squared and 2
- the square of b divided by 2

ab
- the product of a and b
- a times b
- a multiplied by b
A. Translate the verbal phrase into mathematical phrase.

Let x be a number
English Phrase Mathematical Phrase
1. A number increased by 5. x+5
2. The difference of 15 and a number 15 - x
3. Nine more than a number x+9
4. 4 less than a number x-4
5. Twice a number 2x
6. Half a number added to 5 5 + 2x
 B. Translate the mathematical phrase into verbal phrase.
Mathematical Phrase English Phrase
1. x + y the sum of x and y
2. 2x - 3 the difference of twice a number and 3
3. 3x - 6 6 less than thrice a number
x
4. -5 the quotient of a number and 2 diminished by 5
2
5. 2(x - y) Twice the difference of x and y