Clarifying Numbers in English

Mathematics might be a universal language, but talking about it in English can feel daunting if you're not familiar with the terms. With a few helpful tips, discussing everything from basic arithmetic to fractions in English can be as simple as in any other language. Let's simplify these concepts together.

Addition and Subtraction

Just like in German, in English, we use "plus" to talk about addition and "minus" for subtraction. These terms are straightforward, helping you describe simple arithmetic in daily conversations. For instance, you might find yourself saying.

"If you add four plus five, you get nine, which is how many apples we need to buy."

"Ten minus four equals six, which is how many books are left on the shelf."

"Five plus four equals nine, making it the perfect number for our team."

Multiplication and Division

When it comes to multiplication, we often use "times" or "multiplied by." Here are a few examples:

"Two times four equals eight."

"Five multiplied by two equals ten."

For division, we use the phrase "divided by." For example:

"Twenty divided by five equals four."

"Twelve divided by four equals three."

Fractions

Fractions represent another form of division. We often use "over" to describe the visual representation of fractions, like the division line. For example:

"One over five"

"Two over seven"

For common fractions, we use terms like "one-third" or "three-tenths" instead of "one over three" or "three over ten." Additionally, we have special terms for halves and quarters:

"One half" instead of "one over two"

"One quarter" or "a quarter" instead of "one over four"

For example:

"I drank half of the water bottle."

"Could you cut the cake into quarters?"

Getting these terms right not only helps in basic arithmetic dialogues but also sharpens your overall conversational skills. Whether dividing bills at a restaurant, discussing ratios in a recipe, or figuring out travel distances, these expressions will be incredibly useful.

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