Lesson 2

Mathematical Languages and Symbols

 Lesson 2: Mathematical Language and Symbols

A. Mathematics as a Langauge

1. Numbers 2. Operation Symbols

 Lesson 2: Mathematical Languages and Symbols
3. Relation Symbols 4. Variables

5. Grouping Symbols
 Lesson 2: Mathematical Languages and Symbols

Mathematical Expression
- refers to object of interest acting as the subject in the ordinary langauge.
Example: 4, 5 + 2, -7e

Mathematical Sentence
- a statement that expresses a complete thought that could be either true or
false.
Example: 5 + 2 = 7, 8 < 3
 Lesson 2: Mathematical Languages and Symbols

B. Basic Concepts of Mathematical Langauge

1. Sets
- a collection of objects which are called elements of the set.
- The symbol for the term “element” is . 
Example: The set of Natural Numbers (N) = {1,2,3,4,5,...}
The set of first year nursing students in Davao Doctors College
The set of Mongol 1 pencils
The set of Negative Integers, {-1,-2,-3,-4,-5,...}
The set of Whole Numbers, {0,1,2,3,4,5,...}
 Lesson 2: Mathematical Languages and Symbols

2. Function and Relation

- A function f assigns each element x of set A to a unique element y of set B. If it
is not a function, it is just a relation.

1. Function 2. Function 3. Function 4. Relation

 Lesson 2: Mathematical Languages and Symbols

7. Relation

8. Function

5. Function 6. Relation
 Lesson 2: Mathematical Languages and Symbols

C. Logic
Terms:
1. Simple statement is a single statement denoted with any small
letters in the English Alphabet.
Example: r : Adele is a singer.
s : The sum of 4 and 5 is greater than 6.
t : The qoutient of 95 and 5 is 19.

2. Compound statement contains two or more simple statement.

Example: Adele is a singer and the qoutient of 95 and 5 is 19.
The sum of 4 and 5 is greater than 6 or Adele is a singer.
 Lesson 2: Mathematical Languages and Symbols

3. Logical connectives combine simple statements to form compound

statements.
Example: Adele is a singer and the qoutient of 95 and 5 is 19.
The sum of 4 and 5 is greater than 6 or Adele is a singer.

4. Truth value of the statement could be True (T) or False (F).

5. Truth value table contains all possible truth values of the statement.
 Lesson 2: Mathematical Languages and Symbols

Truth Value Tables of Propositional Logic

Let p and q be two statements. Then,
A. Assertion is the basis of truth values for a particular statement/s. That is,
p
T
F

B. Negation (~) is the opposite truth value of the assertion. That is,

p ~p (not p)

T F
F T
 Lesson 2: Mathematical Languages and Symbols

C. Conjunction (˄). p ˄ q, can be read as p and/but q, is true (T) if both p and q

are true. Otherwise, false (F). That is,
p q p˄q
T T T
T F F
F T F
F F F

D. Disjunction (˅). p ˅ q, can be read as p or q, is true (T) if one of them is

true. Otherwise, false (F). That is, p q p˅q
T T T
T F T
F T T
F F F
 Lesson 2: Mathematical Languages and Symbols
E. Conditional (→). p → q, can be read as if p then q where p is the hypothesis
and q is the conclusion, is true (T) if both p and q has the same truth values. If
not, follow the truth value of the conclusion. That is,
p q p→q
T T T
T F F
F T T
F F T
F. Biconditional (↔). p ↔ q, can be read as p if and only if q, is true (T) if both
p and q have the same truth values. Otherwise, false (F). That is,
p q p↔q
T T T
T F F
F T F
F F T
 Lesson 2: Mathematical Languages and Symbols
Constructing Truth Table of Compound Statements
Step 1. Determine the number of possible truth values using 2n where n is
the number of statements.
Step 2. Construct the truth value table applying the truth values of the
propositional logic. The first column should be for the letter that comes first
in the English Alphabet.

Example. Construct a truth value table of the following compound statements.

1. (p ˅ q) ˄ ~q
2. ~p ˅ (~q → p)
3. p ˅ (q ↔ s)
 Lesson 2: Mathematical Languages and Symbols

Solution: 1. (p ˅ q) ˄ ~q
Step 1. Determine 2n where n=2 since we have 2 statements p and q. That is,
2n = 22 = 4 possible truth values for p and q.
Step 2. Construct the table.
p q p˅q ~q (p ˅ q) ˄ ~q
T T T F F
T F T T T
F T T F F
F F F T F
 Lesson 2: Mathematical Languages and Symbols

2. ~p ˅ (~q → p)
Step 1. 2n = 22 = 4 possible truth values for p and q.
Step 2.
p q ~p ~q ~q → p ~p ˅ (~q → p)

T T F F T T
T F F T T T
F T T F T T
F F T T F T
Observe that the truth values of ~p ˅ (~q → p) are all true, then it is called
tautology. If the truth values are all false, it is called contradiction.
 Lesson 2: Mathematical Languages and Symbols

3. p ˅ (q ↔ s)
Step 1. 2n = 23 = 8
Step 2.
p q s q↔s p ˅ (q ↔ s)

T T T T T
T T F F T
T F T F T
T F F T T
F T T T T
F T F F F
F F T F F
F F F T T
 Lesson 2: Mathematical Languages and Symbols

Logical Equivalence (≈)

Separated statements are said to be logically equivalent if they have the
same truth values.
Example: Determine of p → q and ~p ˅ q are logically equivalent.
Solution:
p q p→q p q ~p ~p ˅ q
T T T T T F T
T F F T F F F
F T T F T T T
F F T F F T T

Thus, p → q ≈ ~p ˅ q.