Mathematics in the Modern World

Monica S. Alimondo, Julie A. Buasen, Danni Loven A. Fulwani

Phil S. Ocampo, Serano L. Oryan, Kenneth B. Pakipac, Nick W. Sibaen

Chapter 2
MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE AND SYMBOLS

Imagine the following scenario.

You traveled through deep space to visit a planet called Sipnarys where everyone is a
genius Mathematician, the Sypnayans. You entered a coffee shop and you noticed two
Sypnayans talking. Here is a part of their conversation:

Sypnayan 1: Hagoudu estei freiou deimu

Sypnayan 2: Eyiedu estoureich salou
Sypnayan 1: Hyetie meich karhou shou leiou

Obviously, you did not understand anything from that conversation. But is it because
they were talking complex things? No. It’s because you simply did not understand their
language. Perhaps they were just laughing at you!

This situation has a very strong analogy in Mathematics. People frequently have trouble
understanding mathematical ideas; not necessarily because the ideas are difficult, but because
they are being presented in a foreign language‒the language of Mathematics.

Like any language, Mathematics has its own symbols, syntax and rules to understand
the expressed ideas and to communicate these ideas to others. These rules, symbols and
syntax are the focus of this chapter. The basic concepts of Mathematics such as sets, relations,
function and the foundation of propositional logic are introduced.

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 Lesson 2.1
MATHEMATICS AS A FORM OF LANGUAGE

Objectives
At the end of the lesson, students are expected to be able to
1. Compare Mathematics to other Language;
2. Discuss the characteristic of mathematics as a form of language;
3. Apply some conventions of mathematics;
4. Acknowledge that mathematics is a useful language.

Mathematics vs the Language of Ordinary Speech (English Language)

To understand better how Mathematics is just a form of language, let us compare it to a

language that we are all familiar with which is the English language. Remember that the main
function of a language is to make communication of ideas between individuals possible. When
we learned the English language, we started with the most basic structure such as the letters
of the alphabet and its corresponding sound. We then combine them to form words which is
later on assigned to different objects, concrete or abstract. Phrases, sentences, and paragraphs
are then built to convey more complex ideas. The language has become well developed over
time that we have created a system of exploring its dimensions for a more efficient
communication. We can now differentiate the different parts of speech (noun, pronoun, verb,
adverb, adjective, etc.) and their functions. Also, structural rules such as grammar and syntax
are now standardized.

From this perspective, Mathematics does not entirely separate itself. It is also a language
that originated from simple and basic mathematical elements such as numbers and operations.
More complex ideas called “expressions” are then generated by combining these elements.
The combination of such elements are rule-bound, ensuring that the resulting expression is
meaningful and abides to the universality of Mathematics. Here is a more detailed comparison
of Mathematics and the English Language.

The English Language Mathematics

• Uses words • Uses numbers, operations, sets, matrices, etc. in
symbol
• Classifies which are nouns, verbs, • Do not exactly use the words "noun", "verb", or
pronouns, adjectives, etc. "pronoun" but we can picture likeness such as
▪ Nouns (Names, Places, Events) ▪ Nouns (fixed things like numbers)
▪ Verbs (action words like listen) ▪ Verbs (is equal to, is greater than, etc.)
▪ Pronouns (he, she, it) ▪ Pronouns (could be variables such as x and y)
▪ Adjectives (intelligent, hot) ▪ Adjective (of being prime, even, etc.)
▪ Conjunctions (and, or, if, then) ▪ Conjunctions (operations such as +, −, ×, ÷)
• A group of words conveying a • A group of expressions conveying a complete
complete thought is an English thought is a Mathematical Sentence. Equations are
Sentence. classic examples.
• A group of English sentences • A group of equations is called a system of
comprises a paragraph. equations.

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Characteristics of Mathematics as a Form of Language

While we have seen the similarities of Mathematics to the English language, there are
areas in which it demarcates itself from the English language.

Precise. Mathematics is precise by making very fine distinctions among mathematical

objects. Unlike definitions of words in the English language where a word may assume different
meanings depending on the context in which it is used, the definitions of mathematical objects
are unambiguous. Let us take the word, “set”, as an example. In the English dictionary, there
are about 430 meanings of the word set but in Mathematics, the idea of set is fixed regardless
of the context of its use.

Concise. Mathematics is concise because it makes use of symbols to convey ideas, and
that what could be said in thousands of words may be conveyed with few symbols.

Powerful. Mathematics is powerful because it expresses ideas in ways that allow the
solution of even a complex problem doable.

The Grammar of Mathematics

It is the structural rules governing the use of symbols representing mathematical

objects like expressions, variables and mathematical statements, numbers, operations, sets,
relations and functions.

Operations

Unary Operations are used on single mathematical objects. Taking the additive inverse
of a number and squaring it are examples of a unary operation.

Binary Operations are used between two objects. The four fundamental operations of
mathematics are binary operations.

Variables

A variable can be thought of as a mathematical “John Doe” because it can be used as a

placeholder or a symbol of something that has one or more values.

Conventionally, we use letters as variables.

Example 2.1.1

What number, when doubled and added to 1, is greater than 10?

Mathematically, 2𝑥 + 1 > 10.

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Expressions

Expressions are mathematical ideas formed by combining numbers and variables using
the different operations of mathematics.

Expressions are in their simpler forms if they involve fewer symbols and operations.

Mathematical Statements

A mathematical statement is the analogue for an English sentence. It should state a

complete thought.

Writing Mathematical Statements Using Variables

Since Mathematics is concise, mathematical sentences are expressed using symbols.

Practice Exercises
Symbolize the following statements.
1. The square of a number is always nonnegative.
A. 𝑥 2 > 1 B. 𝑥 2 ≥ 0 C. 1 < 𝑥 2 D. 𝑥 2 = 0
2. The sum of two numbers is greater than their product.
A. 𝑎𝑏 > 𝑎 + 𝑏 B. 𝑎 + 𝑏 ≥ 𝑎𝑏 C. 𝑎𝑏 ≥ 𝑎 + 𝑏 D. 𝑎 + 𝑏 > 𝑏𝑎
3. The quotient of two numbers less 3 is equal to 6.
𝑎 1
A. 𝑏 − 3 = 6 B. 𝑎 (𝑏) − 3 = 6 C. 𝑎 + 𝑏 = 6 D. 𝑎𝑏 − 3 = 6
4. A number subtracted from its cube is 9.
A. 𝑦 − 𝑥 3 = 9 B. 𝑥 3 − 𝑦 = 9 C. 𝑦 − 𝑦 3 = 9 D. 𝑦 3 − 𝑦 = 9
5. Maria is 4 times younger than his brother (𝑥). Which gives the age of Maria (𝑦)?
4 𝑥
A. 𝑦 = 𝑥 B. 𝑦 = 4𝑥 C. 𝑦 = D. 𝑦 = 4
𝑥
6. A number y is four less than the product of two consecutive numbers.
A. 𝑦 = 4 − 𝑥(𝑥 + 1) B. 𝑦 = 𝑥 (𝑥 + 1) − 4
( )
C. 𝑦 = 𝑥 𝑥 + 2 − 4 D. 𝑦 < 4 − 𝑥(𝑥 + 1)

Types of Mathematical Statements

Universal Statements are those that hold true for all elements of a set. In other words,
these statements attribute a property to all elements in a particular universe of discourse. They
explicitly or implicitly use universal quantifiers such as "all", "every" and "each."

Example 3.1.2
The following are examples of universal statements.
1 1
1. For all ≥ 8 , 𝑥 < 3.
2. The square of a real number is nonnegative.
This statement is also equivalent to the following.
a. The square of each real number is nonnegative.
b. The square of every real number is nonnegative.
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 c. The squares of all real numbers are nonnegative.

Existential Statements attribute a property to at least one object or entity, but not all, in
a particular universe of discourse.

Example 3.1.3
The following are examples of existential statements.
1. There exists a real number 𝑥 such that 2𝑥 + 5 = 10.
2. There exist a prime number that is even.
Conditional Statements says that if one thing is true then some other things are also
true. It is a statement that may be written in the form “If 𝑃 then 𝑄,” where 𝑃 and 𝑄 are simple
propositions. Also, 𝑃 is called the hypothesis and 𝑄 is called the conclusion.

Example 3.1.4
The following are examples of conditional statements.
1. A polygon is a pentagon, if it has five sides.
2. If a rectangle is a square, then the adjacent sides are congruent.

Universal Conditional Statements are statements that are both universal and conditional.

Example 3.1.5

The following are examples of universal conditional statements.

1. All real numbers are rational if they can be expressed as a ratio of two integers,
where the denominator is not zero.
2. For all numbers, if they are divisible by 6, then they are also divisible by 2 and 3.

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Name:___________________________ _____ Score:__________
Course and Year:__________________ Date:___________

Exercise 2.1
Mathematics as a Form of Language

A. Identify whether the following statements are true or false.

Answer
1. Mathematics is a form of language.
2. 3𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 + 1 is a correct mathematical sentence.
3. 1 + 𝑥 2 = 2 is a correct mathematical sentence.
𝑥
4. Variables are used to fancy mathematical ideas.
5. Variables are used when the value of something is unknown.

B. Translate the following sentences mathematically.

Answer
1. A number less its cube is zero.
2. The square of the sum of two numbers is 3 less
than their product.
3. The difference of the squares of two numbers is
greater than the square of their difference.
4. The square root of the sum of three numbers is 4
more than their product.
5. The cube root of the cube root of the square of a
number is 1.

C. Identify the type of the following statements.

Answer
1. There exists a number that is both even and prime.
2. For all positive numbers, if it is less than one, then
its cube is also less than 1.
3. The square of a positive number is always positive.
4. For every real number, there is a corresponding
multiplicative inverse.
5. There exists a whole numbers less than every
natural number.