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ESL Vocabulary for Maths Symbols

Maths Symbols

The following page has learning games and example sentences using the following 11 words from the "maths symbols" category:

Understanding math symbols is important for mathematics discussions and problem-solving.

Memory Game

Example Sentences

add

Easy Examples

• When you add, you put numbers together to find the total.
• I add two apples and three more to get five in total.
• Adding helps you solve math problems.

Harder Examples

• She will add the numbers in the column to calculate the total.
• Adding fractions requires finding a common denominator.
• He added the cost of the items in his shopping cart.

brackets

Easy Examples

• Brackets are used in math to group numbers or operations.
• In (3 + 2) × 4, the brackets show that you add first.
• Brackets make math expressions clear.

Harder Examples

• In the equation, you should solve the expressions within the brackets first.
• Brackets help clarify the sequence of calculations in complex equations.
• He used brackets to enclose the terms that needed to be evaluated together.

divide

Easy Examples

• To divide is to split a number into equal parts.
• If you have 10 candies and divide them equally among 2 friends, each gets 5.
• Division helps share things equally.

Harder Examples

• She will divide the pizza into eight equal slices for the party.
• Dividing decimals involves shifting the decimal point correctly.
• He divided the total expenses evenly among the team members.

equals

Easy Examples

• Equals means two things have the same value.
• 2 + 3 equals 5 because they have the same value.
• The equals sign (=) shows that two things are the same.

Harder Examples

• In the equation, the equals sign shows that both sides are equal.
• Equals is a fundamental concept in algebra and mathematical comparisons.
• He wrote down the solution and added the equals sign to complete the equation.

greater than

Easy Examples

• Greater than (>) means one number is bigger than another.
• 5 is greater than 3 because 5 is more.
• Greater than helps compare numbers.

Harder Examples

• Five is greater than three, as represented by the greater-than symbol.
• In inequalities, the greater-than sign points toward the larger value.
• He used the greater-than sign to compare the heights of two buildings.

less than

Easy Examples

• Less than (<) means one number is smaller than another.
• 2 is less than 7 because 2 is smaller.
• Less than helps compare numbers.

Harder Examples

• Two is less than four, as shown by the less-than symbol.
• In mathematical expressions, the less-than sign points toward the smaller value.
• She used the less-than symbol to compare the weights of two objects.

multiply

Easy Examples

• Multiplying is adding a number many times.
• 3 × 4 means you add 3 four times: 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12.
• Multiplying helps calculate groups of things.

Harder Examples

• To find the area of a rectangle, you need to multiply its length and width.
• Multiplying fractions involves multiplying the numerators and denominators separately.
• He multiplied the number of guests by the cost per person to calculate the total expenses.

not equal to

Easy Examples

• Not equal to (≠) means two things are not the same.
• 2 + 3 is not equal to 6 because they are different.
• Not equal to shows differences.

Harder Examples

• In the equation, the not-equal-to sign indicates that the values are not the same.
• Not equal to is used to express inequality or dissimilarity in mathematics.
• He added the not-equal-to symbol to emphasize the distinction between the two options.

percent

Easy Examples

• Percent (%) shows a part of a whole out of 100.
• 50% means half, like 50 out of 100.
• Percent helps express parts as fractions of 100.

Harder Examples

• The discount is 20 percent off the original price.
• To calculate the percentage, divide the part by the whole and multiply by 100.
• He converted the fraction into a percent to express the value as a ratio.

pi

Easy Examples

• Pi (Ï€) is a special number in math, about 3.14159.
• Pi is used in circles to find their size and shape.
• Pi is essential in geometry and math.

Harder Examples

• Pi is used in geometry and trigonometry to calculate circle-related measurements.
• The symbol Ï€ is often used to represent the value of pi in mathematical equations.
• He used pi to calculate the circumference of the circle.

square root

Easy Examples

• The square root (√) of a number is what you multiply by itself to get it.
• The square root of 9 is 3 because 3 × 3 = 9.
• Square roots help find side lengths of squares.

Harder Examples

• The square root of 16 is 4, as indicated by the square root symbol.
• Square roots are used to find the length of the sides of square-shaped areas.
• She calculated the square root to find the length of the hypotenuse in a right triangle.