UNIVERSITY OF CALOOCAN CITY

Biglang Awa St., Corner Catleya St., EDSA, Caloocan City

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

SUBJECT CODE: GEC 004

TOPIC OR LESSON: UNIT 1 The Nature of Mathematics
WEEK: 4-5
SUB-TOPIC/S: Mathematics of Language and Symbols

OVERVIEW OF THE TOPIC

Language is important to understand and express one’s ideas, feelings, or

opinions. Language serves as the transmitter of information and knowledge. It
helps to construct social identity. Misunderstanding of one’s language leads to
confusion and misconceptions.
Mathematics has its own language. It was designed so we can write about
things (numbers, sets, functions, etc.) and can do something (add, subtract,
multiply, divide, etc.) on those things.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this module, learners are expected to identify the

characteristics of mathematical language: precise, concise, and powerful, to
differentiate the expressions from sentences, enumerate the conventions in the
mathematical language, comprehend the basic concept: sets, functions,
relations, and binary operations; and construct truth tables and translate logical
statements to symbols and vice versa.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. discuss the language, symbols, and conventions of mathematics;
2. explain the nature of mathematics as a language;
3. perform operations on mathematical expressions correctly, its basic
concepts and logic; and

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 4. Appreciate that mathematics is a useful language.

ENGAGE

Activity 1: Explain to Gain

Direction: Analyze the educational quotation below and share your
understanding regarding this in a concise manner (maximum of three sentences).
Note that in this part you are encouraged to underwrite what you feel.

“The laws of nature are written in the language of mathematics.” – Galileo

Galilei
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Activity 2: Explain to Gain

Direction: Give your thoughts on why we considered Mathematics as a language.
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EXPLORE

The teacher will present the following tree diagrams about English and
Mathematics. Then, ask the students about the similarities between Mathematics
and English.

EXPLAIN

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 EXPLAIN

Mathematical Language as an Expression

• An expression is the mathematical analogues of an English noun; it is a
correct arrangement of mathematical symbols used to represent a
mathematical object of interest.
• Mathematical symbols can designate numbers
(constants), variables, operations, functions, brackets, punctuation, and
grouping to help determine the order of operations, and other aspects
of logical syntax.

Mathematical Language as a Sentence

• A mathematical sentence is the analogues of an English sentence; it is a
correct arrangement of mathematical symbols that states a complete
thought.
• Sentences have verbs. In the mathematical sentence ‘3 + 4 =7’, the verb
is ‘=’.
• A sentence can be (always) true, (always) false, or sometimes
true/sometimes false.
Examples:
1. 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 = 𝑥(𝑥 + 2) True

2. 𝑥 + 2 < 𝑥 − 3 False
3. 𝑥 + 1 = 3 Sometimes True/False

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 Conventions in the Mathematical Language

Symbol What is it? How is it How is it Sample

read? used? expression
≠ Inequality ... is not equal Indicates x≠y
sign to ... two values
are
different
< Inequality ... is less than Indicates 2<4
sign ... value on x<y
left is
smaller than
value on
right
≤ Inequality ... is less than Indicates x ≤y
sign or equal to ... value on
... is at most left is
equal to ... smaller than
or equal to
the value
on the right
> Inequality ... is greater Indicates 4>1
sign than ... value on x>y
left is larger
than the
value on
the right
≥ Inequality ... is greater Indicates x≥y
sign than or equal value on
to ... left is larger
than or
equal to
the value
on the right
 Existential For some ... Logical x : x > 4
quantifier There exists statements and x < 5
a(n) ...
 Universal For all ... For Logical x :
quantifier every ... statements x < 0 or
x > -1

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 ¬ Logical not ... Logical ¬(¬A)  A
negation statements
symbol
 Logical ... implies ... If Logical A B
implication ... then ... statements
symbol
 Logical ... is logically Logical A B
equivalence equivalent to ... statements
symbol ... if and only
if...
 Element-of ... is an element Sets aA
symbol Sets of a set ...
aA
 Not- ... is not an Sets bA
element-of element of a set
symbol ...
 Subset ... is a subset of ... Sets AB
symbol Sets
 Proper ... is a proper Sets AB
subset subset of ...
symbol
 Union ... union ... Sets AB = BA
symbol Sets
 Intersection intersect ... ... Sets AB = BA
symbol ... intersected with
...
 Null symbol The null set Sets ={}
Sets The empty set
𝑵 Bold N The set of natural Number theory N= {1, 2, 3,
numbers Set theory ...}
𝑾 Bold W The set of whole Number theory W= {0, 1, 2,
numbers Set theory 3, ...}
𝒁 Bold Z The set of Number theory Z= {,… -3, -2,
integers Set theory -1 0, 1, 2, 3,
...}
𝒁* Bold Z The set of non- Number theory Z=
asterisk integers Set theory 3
{… ,0. 3̅, 0.5, ,
4
…}

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 𝑸 Bold Q The set of Number theory Q = {a/b |
rational numbers Set theory a and b are
in Z }
𝑸∗ Bold Q The set of Number theory Q = {x| x 
asterisk irrational Set theory a/b | a and
numbers b are in Z }
𝑹 Bold R The set of real Number theory
numbers Set theory

Four Basic Concepts of Mathematics

1. SET
- A collection of well-defined objects or “things” that contains no duplicates.
- The objects in the set are called the elements of the set.

Finite Set – contains elements that can be counted and terminates at a certain
natural number.
Infinite Set – set whose elements cannot be listed if it has an unlimited
(uncountable)

Specification of Sets
1. List Notation/Roster Method
- list names of elements of a set, separate them by commas, and
enclosed them in braces.
2. Predicate Notation/Rule Method/Set-Builder Notation – stating a property of
its elements
3. Recursive Rules – defining a set of rules which generates its members

Equality
Two sets are equal if they have precisely the same members.
Equivalence
Two sets are equivalent if they contain the same number of members.

Universal Set (U) - A set contains all the elements considered in a particular
situation.
Subsets - A set A is called a subset of the set of B if every element of A is also an
element of B.
A proper subset is a subset that is not equal to the original set, otherwise, it is
called an improper subset.

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 Operation on Sets
1. Union
- An operation for sets A and B in which a set is formed that consists of all
the elements included in A or B or both, denoted by A  B.
2. Intersection – set containing all elements common to both A and B, denoted
by A  B.
3. Complementation - The complement of a set, denoted A', is the set of all
elements in the given universal set U that are not in A.
2. RELATION
- A collection of ordered pairs containing one object from each set.
3. FUNCTION
- an expression, rule, or law that defines a relationship between one variable
(the independent variable) and another variable (the dependent variable).
4. BINARY OPERATIONS
- a calculation involving two elements of the set to produce another element of
the set.

MATHEMATICAL LOGIC
• Logic allows us to determine the validity of arguments in and out of mathematics.
• Illustrates the importance of precision and conciseness of the language of
mathematics.
• A proposition is a statement that is either true (T) or false (F).
• A truth table is a table that shows the truth value of a compound statement for all
possible truth values of its simple statements.

Logical Connectives
Let P and Q be propositions:
• The Negation of P means not 𝑃 and is denoted by ~P.
• The Conjunction of P and Q is the compound statement P and Q.

• The Disjunction of P and Q is the compound statement P or Q.

• The Implication of P and Q is the compound statement If P, then Q.

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 • The Biconditional of P and Q is the compound statement P if and only if Q.

ELABORATE

Translate each sentence using mathematical symbols.

1. 0 is an integer.
2. 𝑥 is multiple of 5.
3. 𝑥 belongs to both sets A and B.
4. The values of x range from -2 to 5.
5. The square of the sum of x and y is not more than 20.
6. The square of a number a is nonnegative.
7. The sum of two consecutive numbers is 31.

EVALUATE

The questions will be posted in Google Classroom after the discussion.

REFERENCES

Baltazar, E.C., Ragasa, C. & Evangelista, J. Mathematics in the Modern World by

C&E Publishing, Inc.

Daligdig, R.M. (2019). Mathematics in the Modern World by Lorimar Publishing, Inc.

Rodriguez, M.J., et.al. (2018). Mathematics in the Modern World by Nieme

Publishing House Co. Ltd.

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