The Language of Math - Begining With The Basics

When most of us think of math, we see it merely as numbers and numbers and more numbers. If you can look beyond the obvious, however, math takes on a whole new personality. Open your mind and discover the language of math.  The renowned 16th century Italian mathematician, Galileo, understood that the symbols of mathematical calculation were really a form of communication. In fact, he once referred to mathematics as “the language with which God wrote the Universe”.  Like the hieroglyphics of antiquity or the character language of the orient, the language of math is a truly unique dialect comprised of formulas and nuances, all governed by specific rules. As with the rules governing written sentence structure…

Simple or Complex… the basic rules governing the computation of mathematical sentence structure remain the same.

1. Perform any calculations within parentheses 
2. Factor in exponents. Then, working from left to right
3. Perform all multiplication
4. Perform all division
5. Perform all addition
6. Change subtraction to addition, take the opposite sign of the next number and add

The Language of Math - Deciphering The Symbols

Like the nouns and verbs of the written word, symbols are the glue that hold the language of math 
together. Just as learning to read begins with learning the letters of the alphabet, learning the language of math begins with learning its “alphabet” of symbols. Easiest to learn are the basic symbols which are generally introduced early in the student’s schooling. 

• The plus sign + , which means “more,” and denotes addition
• The minus sign –, which means “less,” and is used in subtraction 
• The multiplication sign ×, which indicates how many times a given number is to be 
• The division sign ÷, also called the obelus, which indicates the number of times one 
• The equals sign =, which means “is” or “is the same value as.”

As the student of language progresses, more complex words are added to give greater substance to sentence structure. As proficiency in the language of math increases, the student begins to use symbols that allow for more in-depth calculation. 

• The percent sign % , used to determine portions of a whole 
• Strict inequality signs <  > , designating “greater than” and “lesser than” 
• Parentheses (…) , for precedence grouping 
• The prime symbol  x′, for derivative 
• The superscript notation xy , for exponentiation 
• The radical symbols √ and n√, for square root and nth root

Once the student becomes fluent in the language of math, symbols emerge that enable the computation of more abstract mathematical concepts. 

• The integral sign  ∫ 
• The summation symbol  ∑ 
• The partial differential sign  ∂ 
• The differential sign  d 
• The proportionality sign  ∝ 
• The aleph symbol  ℵ 
• The nabla symbol ∇ 
• The infinity sign ∞ 

The Language of Math - Discovering A World Of Possibilities

If the language of math intrigues you, make the leap. The translation process will take you where you’ve never gone before. Don’t let the finite limits of conventional language hold you back. Infinity awaits. World famous mathematician, Albert Einstein, was a mediocre student, but his mastery of the language of math still stands as model of visionary greatness.

Learning any language is a challenge. Using an aid, like a disc or an app, will help speed the process. The same principle applies to the language of math. The best tool in your arsenal of computation aids is a good scientific calculator.  If you currently have a functional scientific calculator but need to upgrade, look to SellYourCalculators.com for help. We are a premier buyback destination offering competitive prices for used calculators. Let us help defray the cost of a new, high quality scientific calculator than can launch you on the path to infinity and beyond. Contact us today for more information.