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Mathematics As A Language

Mathematics can be understood as a language with its own vocabulary, syntax, and symbolism used to express ideas and communicate precisely. Like any language, mathematics has conventions for expressions versus sentences and rules for grammar that govern the use of symbols representing mathematical objects. Understanding mathematics requires learning its language in order to think conceptually about mathematical ideas and precisely state them using symbolic representations and logical reasoning.

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158 views

Mathematics As A Language

Mathematics can be understood as a language with its own vocabulary, syntax, and symbolism used to express ideas and communicate precisely. Like any language, mathematics has conventions for expressions versus sentences and rules for grammar that govern the use of symbols representing mathematical objects. Understanding mathematics requires learning its language in order to think conceptually about mathematical ideas and precisely state them using symbolic representations and logical reasoning.

Uploaded by

pijej25153
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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MATHEMATICS AS A

LANGUAGE
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!
3

LANGUAGE OF MATHEMATICS
Like any language, mathematics as a language has a
vocabulary, syntax, and symbolism all its own. (cf.
Perry and Adkins, 2003)

•to understand the expressed ideas


•to communicate ideas to others
4

NOUN VERSUS SENTENCES


ENGLISH

Noun Sentence
(name given to object (must state a complete
of interest thought)

• Person • TRUE: The word “math” has


four letters.
• Place
• FALSE: The word “math” has 5
• Thing letters
• Sometimes True/Sometimes
False: Math is a difficult
subject.
5

B. EXPRESSIONS VERSUS SENTENCES

MATHEMATICS

Expression Sentence
(name given to (must state a complete
mathematical object of thought)
interest
• Number • TRUE : 1+ 2 = 3
• Set • FALSE: 1 + 2 = 4
• Matrix
• ST/SF : x =1
• Ordered pair
• Average
6

B. Conventions in the
Mathematical Language
IDEAS REGARDING EXPRESSIONS

• Expressions have different names


Example:
5 2+3 10÷2 (6 - 2) + 1 1 + 1+ 1 +1+ 1
• Common in solving expressions is to SIMPLIFY
7

WHAT DOES SIMPLER MEAN?


• Fewer symbols
• Fewer operations
• Better suited to current use
• Preferred/ style/format
8

MATHEMATICAL SENTENCE
A mathematical sentence is the
analogue of an English sentence; it is a
correct assignment of mathematical
symbols that states a complete thought.
9

IDEAS REGARDING
MATHEMATICAL SENTENCE
• Mathematical Sentences have
verbs and connectives
• Truth of Sentences
The notion of truth (the
property of being true or false) is of
fundamental importance in the
mathematical language.
10

HOW TO DECIDE WHETHER


SOMETHING IS A SENTENCE?
• Read it aloud, and ask yourself the question:
Does it state a complete thought? If YES, then it
is a sentence.
• You may also ask yourself the question: Does it
make sense to ask about the truth of it?
11

THE GRAMMAR OF MATHEMATICS

It is the structural rules governing the use of


symbols representing mathematical
objects.
Express the following using
mathematical symbols
a. 5 is the square root of 25
b. 5 is less than 10
EXERCISES
• A number increased by 7
•x+7
• Thrice a number added to 10
• 10 + 3X
• Sum of three consecutive integers
• X + (X + 1) + (X + 2)
• Ten less than four times a certain number
• 4X - 10
13

SOME DIFFICULTIES IN MATH LANGUAGE

• The word "is" could mean equality, inequality or


membership in a set
• Different uses of a number; to express quantity (cardinal),
to indicate the order (ordinal), and as a label (nominal)
• Mathematical objects may be represented in many
ways, such as sets and functions
• The words "and' & "or" means different from its English use
14

OBJECTS THAT WE USE IN MATH


• Numbers (4 operations and properties)
• Variables
• Operations (unary & binary)
FOUR BASIC CONCEPTS:
• Sets (relationships, operations, properties)
• Relations (Equivalence relations)
• Functions ( injective, Surjective , Bijective)
• Binary Operations
NUMBERS AND 4 OPERATIONS
15

Can you think of any more terms that you


can add to the mind map?
MATHEMATICS BUILD A FOUNDATION OF BASIC
UNDERSTANDING IN:
• Number • Algebraic thinking
• Operation • Geometry and spatial
• Quantitative reasoning reasoning
• Patterns • Measurement
• Relations • Probability and statistics
NUMBERS

• Ordering
• Labelling
• Expressing quantities and relationships to solve
problems
• Translate informal language into mathematical
language and symbols
THEN
• Collect
• Organize display data
• Make summary and
conclusion
MATHEMATICS AS ONE

• Progresses
• Centers on proofs
• Argumentation
• Personal perspective
and insights
• Convincing people and
making them understand
MATH HOLDS ON TO
DEFINITIONS
• The concept are defines properly
• Concise statement
• Basic
• Unambiguously identified
EXAMPLE
• Good definition:
A rectangle is a quadrilateral whose all four angles are right
angles
POOR DEFINITION:
A rectangle is a parallelogram in which the
diagonals have the same length and all the
angles are right angles. It can be inscribed in a
circle and its area is given by the product of two
adjacent sides.
POOR DEFINITION:

A rectangle is a parallelogram whose


diagonals have equal lengths.
BAD DEFINITION:

A rectangle is a quadrilateral with


right angles.
UNACCEPTABLE DEFINITION:

Rectangle: has right angles.

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