Mathematical Language and Symbols: LESSON 2.1: Mathematics As A Language

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Chapter 2
Mathematical Language and Symbols

LESSON 2.1: Mathematics as a language
TIME FRAME: 1 hours CODE:
LEARNING OUTCOME(S):
1. Translate verbal statements into mathematical expressions.
2. Determine correct mathematical statements.
3. Rewrite mathematical statements logically.
A variable is a symbol which may assume any one of a set of values during a discussion.
A constant is a symbol which stands for only one particular value during the discussion. Letters
of the alphabet, such as x, y, z, u, v, and w, are usually employed to represent variables.
Translating Verbal Statement
Example 1. Translate the following statement into mathematical symbols
Verbal Statement Mathematical Expression

1. Three more than the number n n+3
2. 7 times the square of p 7p2
3. The sum of a and b a+b
4. Twice your age 5 years ago, if you are x years old now 2(x–5)
5. 7 less than x x–7
Some Important Kinds of Mathematical Statements
Three of the most important kinds of sentences in mathematics are universal statements,
conditional statements, and existential statements.
A universal statement is a mathematical statement that is supposed to be true about all

members of a set. (For example: All positive numbers are greater than zero.)
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Example 2. For all x ≥ 7; < .
x 2
Example 3. The square of a real number is nonnegative.

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As these two examples show, universal statements can explicitly contain universal
quantifiers ("all"), or the universal quantifiers can be implicit Universal quantifiers are words
such as "all", "every" and "each". The following statements about all numbers in the set of real
numbers convey the same information:
 The square of a real number is nonnegative.

 The square of each real number is nonnegative.
 The square of every real number is nonnegative.
 The squares of all real numbers are nonnegative.
 For every (each, all) a ∈ R; a2 ≥ 0.
A well-written universal statement should include one of the universal quantifiers: all,
every, each.
A conditional statement, symbolized by p q, is an if-then statement in which p is a

hypothesis and q is a conclusion. The logical connector in a conditional statement is denoted by
the symbol . The conditional is defined to be true unless a true hypothesis leads to a false
conclusion.
A truth table for p q is shown below.
p q p q
T T T
T F F
F T T
F F T
In the truth table above, p q is only false when the hypothesis (p) is true and the
conclusion (q) is false; otherwise it is true. Note that a conditional is a compound statement.
Example 4.
Given: r: 8 is an odd number. false
s: 9 is composite. true
Problem: What is the truth value of r s?
Solution: Since hypothesis r is false and conclusion s is true, the conditional r s is true.
Example 5.
Given: r: 8 is an odd number. false
s: 9 is composite. true
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Problem: What is the truth value of s r?
Solution: Since hypothesis s is true and conclusion r is false, the conditional s r is

false.
An existential statement is one which expresses the existence of at least one object
(in a particular universe of discourse) which has a particular property.
As defined, this type of statement usually states that something exists. It usually
describes ideas that are true for certain elements. And so, this statement contains words like
"there exists," "there is at least one," or "for some". On seeing these keywords, one may safely
assume that the statement is existential. Another unique characteristic of existential statement
is that we only need to find one element that satisfies the statement in order to prove it.
Example 6. There exists a natural number n, such that n x n = 36.
Example 7. There exists an integer z, such that z2 = 25.
Example 8. There is at least one number n, belonging to a set of Natural numbers, such that
a x n = a.
Rewriting a universal existential statement
Example 9. Every real number has an additive inverse.
In this statement the property “has an additive inverse” applies universally to all real
numbers. “Has an additive inverse” asserts the existence of something – an additive inverse –
for each real number. However, the nature of the additive inverse depends on the real
number , different real numbers have different additive inverses. Knowing that an additive
inverse is a real number, you can rewrite this statement in several ways, some less formal and
some more formal:
 All real numbers have additive inverses.
 For all real numbers r, there is an additive inverse for r.
 For all real numbers r, there is a real number s such that s is an additive inverse.
One of the most important reasons for using variables in mathematics is that it gives you
the ability to refer to quantities unambiguously throughout a lengthy mathematical argument,
while not restricting you to consider only specific values for them.
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Activity 2.1
Name:___________________ Class Schedule:______________ Date:_________ Score:_____
A. Translate each of the following verbal statement into a mathematical expression. Use as few
variables as possible.
Verbal Statement Mathematical Expression
1. The sum of a number and ten
2. Five less than twice a number
3. One-half times the sum of two numbers
4. The difference of the squares of two numbers
5. The area of a rectangle whose length is 7 more
than the width
6. A man’s age 10 years ago
7. The sum of three consecutive even integers
8. The ratio of a number and thrice a number
9. The square root of twice the product of two
numbers
10. A student’s age after 12 years
B. Tell whether each statement is TRUE or FALSE.

__________11. Every integer is a rational number.
__________12. Every whole number is an integer.
__________13. Every rational number is a natural number.
__________14. Every real number is an irrational number.
__________15. All irrational numbers are integers.
C. Encircle the letter which corresponds the correct answer.

16. Which of the following is a conditional statement?
a. Amy plays soccer or Bill plays hockey.
b. Bill plays hockey when Amy plays soccer.
c. If Amy plays soccer then Bill plays hockey.
d. None of the above.
17. Given: r: You give me twenty dollars.

s: I will be your best friend.
Problem: Which of the following statements represents, "If you give me twenty dollars, then I
will be your best friend"?
a. r s
b. r s
c. s r
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18. What is the truth value of r s when the hypothesis is false and the conclusion is true in
Example 2?
a. True
b. False
c. Not enough information was given.
19. Given: a: x is prime.

b: x is odd.
Problem: What is the truth value of a b when x = 2?
a. True
b. False
20. What is the truth value of a b when x = 9 in Exercise 4?

a. True
b. False
D. Fill in the blanks to rewrite the given statement.

21. For all objects J, if J is a square then J has four sides.
a. All squares ______________________________________
b. If an object is a square, then it ______________________
c. If J _________________, then J _____________________
22. Every nonzero real number has a reciprocal.

a. All nonzero real numbers ____________________________
b. For all nonzero real numbers r, there is _____________ for r.
c. For all nonzero real numbers r, there is a real number s such
that _____________________________________________
23. Every positive number has a positive square root.

a. All positive numbers __________________________________
b. For any positive number e, there is __________________ for e.
c. For all positive numbers e, there is a positive number r such
that ________________________________________________
24. For all equations E, if E is quadratic then E has at most two real solutions.
a. All quadratic equations ________________________________
b. Every quadratic equation ______________________________
c. If E _______________________, then E ___________________

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1

Mathematical Language and Symbols

TIME FRAME: 1 hours CODE:

Translating Verbal Statement

Example 1. Translate the following statement into mathematical symbols

Verbal Statement Mathematical Expression

Some Important Kinds of Mathematical Statements

A universal statement is a mathematical statement that is supposed to be true about all

Example 3. The square of a real number is nonnegative.

 The square of a real number is nonnegative.

A conditional statement, symbolized by p q, is an if-then statement in which p is a

A truth table for p q is shown below.

Problem: What is the truth value of s r?

Solution: Since hypothesis s is true and conclusion r is false, the conditional s r is

Example 6. There exists a natural number n, such that n x n = 36.

Example 7. There exists an integer z, such that z2 = 25.

Rewriting a universal existential statement

Example 9. Every real number has an additive inverse.

Name:___________________ Class Schedule:______________ Date:_________ Score:_____

B. Tell whether each statement is TRUE or FALSE.

C. Encircle the letter which corresponds the correct answer.

17. Given: r: You give me twenty dollars.

19. Given: a: x is prime.

20. What is the truth value of a b when x = 9 in Exercise 4?

D. Fill in the blanks to rewrite the given statement.

22. Every nonzero real number has a reciprocal.

23. Every positive number has a positive square root.

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Name:_________ Class Schedule: Date:_ Score:_