SPEAKING MATHEMATICALLY Handouts

SPEAKING MATHEMATICALLY
Mathematics in the modern World
VARIABLES
Variables in math are symbols, often letters, which represent different values in various
situations. It is used as a placeholder for the unknown number.
Example:
1. Are there numbers with the property that the sum of their squares equals the square of their
sum?
2. Given any real number, it’s square is nonnegative.
Solution:
1. Are there numbers a and b with the property that a 2+ b2=(a+b)2 ?
Or: Are there numbers a and b such that a 2+ b2=(a+b)2?

Or: Do their exist any numbers a and b such that a 2+ b2=(a+b)2?
2. Given any real number r, r 2 is nonnegative.
Or: For any real number r, r 2 ≥ 0.

Or: For all real number r, r 2 ≥ 0.
MATHEMATICAL STATEMENTS
A mathematical statement is a sentence which is either true or false. It may contain words and
symbols. Three of the most important kinds of sentences in mathematics are universal
statements, conditional statements and existential statements.
 Universal Statement says that a certain property is true for all elements in a set. (for all)
Example: All positive numbers are greater than zero
 Conditional statement says that if one thing is true then some other things also has to
be true (if-then)
Example: If 378 is divisible by 18, then 378 is divisible by 6
 Existential statement says that there is at least one thing for which the property is true.
(there exists)
Example: There is a prime number that is even.
 Universal conditional statement is a statement that is both universal and conditional
Example: For all animals a, if a is a dog, then a is a mammal
 Universal Existential statement is a statement that is universal because its first part
says that a certain property is true for all object of a given type, and it is existential
because its second part asserts the existence of something.
Example: Every real number has an additive inverse

 Existential universal statement is a statement that is existential because its first part
asserts that a certain object exists and is universal because its second part says that the
object satisfies a certain property for all things of a certain kind.
Example: There is a positive integer that is less than or equal to every positive integer.
Rewriting a Universal conditional statement
1. For all animals a , if a is a dog, then a is a mammal
Or : If a is a dog, then a is a mammal

Or : If an animal is a dog, then the animal is a mammal
Or : For all dogs a , a is a mammal
Or : All dogs are mammals
2. For all real number x , if x is nonzero then x 2 is positive.
Or : If a real number is nonzero, then its square is positive

Or : If x is a nonzero real number, then x 2 is positive
Or : For all nonzero real numbers x , x 2 is positive
Or : All nonzero real numbers have positive squares
Or : The square of any nonzero real number is positive
Rewriting a Universal Existential statement
1. Every real number has an additive inverse
Or : All real numbers have additive inverse

Or : For all real numbers r , there is an additive inverse for r .
Or : For all real numbers r , there is a real number s such that s is the additive inverse for
r
2. Every pot has a lid
Or : All pots have lids

Or : For all pots p, there is a lid for p.
Or: For all pots p, there is a lid l such that l is a lid for p.
Rewriting Existential universal statement
1. There is a positive integer that is less than or equal to every positive integer
Or : Some positive integer is less than or equal to every positive integer
Or : There is a positive integer m that is less than or equal to every positive integer
Or : There is a positive integer m such that every positive integer is greater than or equal
to m.
Or : There is a positive integer m with the property that for all positive integers n , m ≤n
2. There is a person in my class who is at least as old as every person in my class
Or : Some person in my class is at least as old as every person in my class

Or : There is a person p in my class that is at least as old as every person in my class
Or : There is a person p in my class such that p is at least as old as every person in my
class
Or : There is a person p in my class with the property that for every person q in my class
p is at least as old as q .

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SPEAKING MATHEMATICALLY

Mathematics in the modern World

1. Are there numbers a and b with the property that a 2+ b2=(a+b)2 ?

Or: Are there numbers a and b such that a 2+ b2=(a+b)2?

Or: For any real number r, r 2 ≥ 0.

Example: All positive numbers are greater than zero

Example: If 378 is divisible by 18, then 378 is divisible by 6

Example: There is a prime number that is even.

 Universal conditional statement is a statement that is both universal and conditional

Example: For all animals a, if a is a dog, then a is a mammal

Example: Every real number has an additive inverse

Rewriting a Universal conditional statement

1. For all animals a , if a is a dog, then a is a mammal

Or : If a is a dog, then a is a mammal

Or : If a real number is nonzero, then its square is positive

Rewriting a Universal Existential statement

1. Every real number has an additive inverse

Or : All real numbers have additive inverse

Or : All pots have lids

Rewriting Existential universal statement

2. There is a person in my class who is at least as old as every person in my class

Or : Some person in my class is at least as old as every person in my class

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