Words for Operations

Note: The English language is notoriously imprecise, and these suggested translations should be taken only as a guide, not as absolutes.

Subtraction

minus

“a number minus 2”

x – 2

difference between

“the difference between a number and 8”

x – 8

from

“2 from a number”

n – 2

less

“a number less 3”

n – 3

less than

“3 less than a number”

y – 3

fewer than

“2 fewer than a number”

y – 2

decreased by

“a number decreased by 2”

x – 2

take away

“a number take away 2”

x – 2

Addition

plus

“a number plus 2”

x + 2

and

“3 and a number”

3 + n

added to

“8 added to a number”

x + 8

greater than

“3 greater than a number”

n + 3

more than

“3 more than a number”

y + 3

increased by

“a number increased by 2”

y + 2

total

“the total length”

l1 + l2

sum of

“The sum of length and width”

l + w

Multiplication

times

“5 times a number”

5n

product

“The product of 3 and a number”

3y

at

“3 at 1.59”

´ 1.59

double, triple, etc.

“double a number”

2x

twice

“twice a number”

2y

of (fractions of)

“three-fourths of a number”

Division

quotient of

“The quotient of 5 and a number”

Half of

“half of a number”

goes into

“a numbergoes into 6 twice”

per

“The price is $8 per 50”

 

Equals

Is, is the same as, gives, will be, was, is equivalent to