4 - Numbers
Numbers are an essential part of an engineer’s job. You will need them when measuring (i.e. how
long, how far, how much), counting (i.e. how many) or labeling (i.e. equipment number, ISBN). It is
important that you know how to use them in English.
Mathematics
Elementary arithmetic is expressed with addition, subtraction, multiplication and division:
• addition 3 + 3 plus 2 • multiplication 3 x 2 3 multiplied by 2
2 3 times 2
• subtraction 3 - 2 3 minus 2 • division 3 ÷ 2 3 divided by 2
3 subtracted from 2
NOTE: In some countries, division is expressed with another symbol (i.e. 3:2).
However, in English this represents a ratio (i.e. 3:2 – a ratio of 3 to 2)
Equality (or inequality) can be expressed in different ways in English. Here are some of the most
common examples:
x=y x equals y x<y x is less than y
x is equal to y x≤y x is less than or equal to y
x≠y x does not equal y x>y x is greater than y
x is not equal to y x≥y x is greater than or equal to y
x≈y x is approximately equal to y
Scientific notation
Some numbers are so large or small that we use a special method of expressing these. Numbers
such as 3 x 108 are known as scientific notation. The 8 in 108 is known as the exponent. The 10 is
the base.
• The speed of light is 3 x 108 m/s. • 12 grams of carbon contains approximately 6.023×10 23
(three times ten to the power of carbon atoms
eight) (six point zero two three times ten to the power of
twenty-three)
Mathematical Symbols
Some common mathematical symbols and how to say them:
x2 x –squared √𝑦 the square root of y % Percentage
x3 x –cubed √𝑦 cubed
3 root of y pi (pronounced [pai])
rd
x to the 3 power 4
th
4 root of y infinity / infinite
√𝑦
x to the power of 3 summation / the sum
x4 x to the 4th power of …
x to the power of 4
x x to the negative 4th power
-4
x to the power of negative
4
Written numbers
When writing, we spell out the numbers below 10. Larger numbers are denoted with their digits.
• Please send us four samples.
• The delay is due to two machines malfunctioning simultaneously.
• We had 21 applicants for the internship position.
However, always use the number for dates, ages, monetary amounts, percentages, and ratios.
• 8 June • 21 years old • $129.99 • 14% • 3:2
The use of commas and decimals are the opposite as in some countries (i.e. Germany)
• 1,400 one thousand four hundred • 1.400 one point four zero zero
Spoken numbers
When speaking, you can say ‘one’ or ‘a’ when using large numbers.
• 100 one hundred / a hundred • 1000 one thousand / a thousand
The use of ‘and’ is also optional.
• 123 one hundred twenty-three • 123 one hundred AND twenty-three
(AmEng) (BrEng)
When using decimals, read each number AFTER the decimal individually.
• π = 3.14195 (three POINT one four one nine 5)
Ordinal numbers
When referring to an ordered arrangement or a position in a list, we use ordinal numbers. Most
ordinal numbers end with “th” – but not all.
• first 1st • fourth 4th • twenty-first 21st • ninety-ninth 99th
• second 2nd • fifth 5th • twenty-second 22nd • hundredth 100th
• third 3rd • twenty-fifth 25th
Currency
Currency symbols come BEFORE the number in English
• $ 12.00 • ¥ 8000 • € 24.95 • £ 19.99
Percentages / Fractions
There are many ways we can refer to parts or partial section of an amount. We commonly use
either percentage or fractions, although other ways are possible, too.
• One out of 10 products off the assembly line was defective.
• 12% of the inventory was returned.
• We were able to repair ¾ (three-fourths, three quarters) of the machines.
• We had to throw out ¼ (a fourth, a quarter) of merchandise.
Common abbreviations
We often use abbreviations for common expressions
• Contamination levels have risen to 1000 ppm (parts per million)
• The speed limit on most sections of the Autobahn is 120 km/h (kilometers per hour).
• The official highest recorded temperature is 56.7°C (degrees Celsius). It was measured on 10 July
1913 at Greenland Ranch, Death Valley, California, USA.
• The device takes 12.5 V (volts).
Miscellaneous mathematical expressions
Here are some miscellaneous mathematical expressions which might be useful to you as an
engineer:
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝜃 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝜃 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝜃
𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒
= = =
ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑠𝑒 ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡
The sine of angle θ is equal to the opposite divided by the
hypotenuse
the integral of a to b of
f of x dx
even numbers 2, 4, 6, 8, …
odd numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, …
prime numbers 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, …
Exercises
Exercise 1
How do you say the following numbers?
1. 10,234 _____________________ 6. 10,000 ______________________
2. 10.234 _____________________ 7. 100,000 ______________________
3. 1000 _____________________ 8. 1,000,000______________________
4. 1,000 _____________________ 9. 1,000,000,000______________________
5. 1.000 _____________________ 10. 1,000,000,000,000______________________
Exercise 2
How do you say the following?
1. 1 + 1 __________________________ 7. AB ≠ CD __________________________
2. 2 – 1 __________________________ 8. A ≈ B __________________________
3. 3 × 1 __________________________ 9. A < B __________________________
4. 5 ÷ 2 __________________________ 10. A ≤ B __________________________
5. 5 : 2 __________________________ 11. B > A __________________________
6. x = y __________________________ 12. B ≥ A __________________________
Exercise 3
What are the English expressions for the following?
1. Zahl __________________________ 2. Ziffer __________________________
3. gerade __________________________ 4. ungerade __________________________
5. Sinus __________________________ 6. Cosinus __________________________
Exercise 4
What are the following symbols?
1) x2 __________________________ 5) % __________________________
2) x3 __________________________ 6) __________________________
3) x4 __________________________ 7) __________________________
4) √ __________________________ 8) __________________________
Exercise 5
Circle the correct answer.
1. a3
a) a-3rd-power b) a-cube c) a-cubed d) a-high-3 e) a-power-3
2. AB ≠ CD
a) AB does not b) AB equals not c) AB is not d) AB is unequal e) AB not the
equal CD CD equal CD CD same as CD
3. 24 6
a) twenty-four multiplicated c) twenty-four multiplied e) twenty-four time six
by six by six
b) twenty-four multiplicated d) twenty-four multiplied f) twenty-four times by six
with six with six
4. A ≥ B
a) A is greater than c) A is greater than or e) A is greater then g) A is greater then or
and equal B equal B and equal B equal B
b) A is greater than d) A is greater than or f) A is greater then h) A is greater then or
and equal to B equal to B and equal to B equal to B
5. 1/3 + 2/3 = 1
a) one-third plus two-third c) one-third plus two-thirds e) one-thirds plus two-thirds
equal one equal one equal one
b) one-third plus two-third d) one-third plus two-thirds f) one-thirds plus two-thirds
equals one equals one equals one
6. eight billion dollars
a) 8.000.000 $ e) 8.000.000.000 $ i) 8.000.000.000.000 $ m) 8.000.000.000.000.000 $
b) 8,000,000 $ f) 8,000,000,000 $ j) 8,000,000,000,000, $ n) 8,000,000,000,000,000 $
c) $ 8.000.000 g) $ 8.000.000.000 k) $ 8.000.000.000.000 o) $ 8.000.000.000.000.000
d) $ 8,000,000 h) $ 8,000,000,000 l) $ 8,000,000,000,000 p) $ 8,000,000,000,000,000
Exercise 6
Which box is needed to balance the scale? You may only add one box.
Bonus: can you give a weight to each box? (Hint: one of the boxes weighs 3 kilograms)
