Say and Write Math
We often need to talk or write about math in words to help explain things or share our ideas.
Sometimes we can simply say what we see:
3x + 4
three x plus four
19y
nineteen y
n/4
n divided by 4
Variables (like x) are said clearly as letters, for example x is said "ecks".
The Basic Operations
There are many choices for words:
| Symbol | Common Phrases |
|---|---|
| + | plus, sum, increased by, added to, more than, total |
| − | minus, difference, decreased by, subtracted from, less than |
| × | times, product, multiplied by, of, twice, double |
| ÷ | divided by, over, on, quotient, per, ratio, half, quarter |
Here are some of those in action:
5 + x
five plus x
the sum of five and x
the sum of five and x
n − 3
n minus three
three less than n
three subtracted from n
three less than n
three subtracted from n
2y
two y
two times y
the product of two and y
two times y
the product of two and y
k / 4
k over 4
k divided by four
the quotient of k and four
k divided by four
the quotient of k and four
Some subtraction phrases swap the order of the numbers! Examples:
- "3 less than n" means we start with n and subtract 3, written as n − 3
- "5 subtracted from x" is written as x − 5
Grouping
When there's more than one operation (a multi-step expression), take care to say how values are grouped.
We can use words like "quantity", "all", "sum of" and so on, to show that certain parts go together (usually inside parentheses).
3(x + 4)
three times the sum of x and four
three by the quantity x plus four
three by the quantity x plus four
2n + 7
two n plus seven
seven more than twice n
seven more than twice n
(y − 1) / 5
the difference of y and one, all divided by five
2(x − 5) + 3
twice the difference of x and five, then increased by three
Speaking Math Clearly
When speaking:
- Pause slightly at grouped parts. This helps the listener "see" the groups
- Be precise. Use extra time (and words) on difficult parts
Quick Test!
How would you write: "the quotient of the sum of x and 2, and 5"?
Answer: x + 25