August 2, 2003
Pronunciation of Mathematical Expressions The pronunciations of the most common mathematical expressions are given in the list below. In general, the shortest versions are preferred (unless greater precision is necessary). x+y (a+b) a=b a≠b
a±b a≈b a>b a≥b a>>b a≯b a
x y
x over y
0<x<1 0≤x≤1 1×1=1 2×2=4 6×5=30 30=6×5 s=vt 1:2 12÷3=4 20:5=16:4 a+b=c c-b=a
v=
x plus y bracket a plus b bracket closed a equals b / a is equal to b / a is b a is not equal to b / a is not b a plus or minus b a is approximately equal to b a is greater than b a is greater than or equal to b a is much [far] greater than b a is not greater than b a is less than b a is less than or equal to b a is much less than b a is not less than b xy / x multiplied by b x minus y, x plus y
s t
7+3<12 12>7+3 x2
zero is less than x is less than 1 zero is less than or equal to x is less than or equal to 1 once one is one twice two is four six times [multiplied by] five equals [is equal to; are; makes; make] thirty thirty is five times as large as six s equals [is equal to] v multiplied by t; s equals v times t the ratio of one to two twelve divided by three equals [is] four the ratio of 20 to 5equals the ratio of 16 to 4 / 20 is to 5 as 16 is to 4 a plus b is [are; equals; is equal to] c c minus b is [equals, is equal to] a; b from c leaves a v equals s divided by t / v is s over t 7 plus 3 is less than 12 12 is greater than 7 plus 3 x square / x squared / the square of x / the second power of x / x to the second power
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52=25 y3 y-10
the second power of 5 is 25 / 5 square is 25 / the square of 5 is 25 / 5 to the second power is equal to 25 y cube / y cubed / the cube of y / y to the third power / y to the third y to the minus tenth (power)
4 = ±2
the square root of 4 is [equals] plus or minus 2
3
a
the cubic root of a
5
x2
the fifth root of x square
518
the square root of five hundred and eighteen
930
the cubic root of nine hundred and thirty
3
x3 = y2 5
x raised to the third power divided by five equals y squared
x 2 + y 2 = 10
x squared with y squared equals 10
a=
Vt − V t
(a+b-c×d)÷e=f
a equals V sub t minus V over [divided by] t a plus b minus c multiplied by d, all divided by e equals f
5 1 (8 + 6 − 3.88 × 4) ÷ 2 8 2 eight plus six and five-eighths minus three decimal [point] eight eight multiplied by four, all divided by two and a half 4567÷23=198 余 13 23 into 4567 goes 198 times, and 13 remainder 45+70+152=267 45, 70 and 152 added together are 267 2% two per cent 5%。 five per mille 0.3% point three per cent 1/2 ton half a ton 2/3 ton two thirds of ton 3/4 km three quarters of a kilometer 1.75 km one point seven five kilometers 60 mi/hr sixty miles per hour 20º twenty degrees 6′ 6 minutes / 6 feet 10″ 10 seconds / 10 inches 0℃ zero degree Centigrade [Celsius] 100℃ one [a] hundred degrees Centigrade 32℉ thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit
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