Speaking English: How we use math vocabulary in everyday English
In this lesson, you will learn to use expressions from math class that have become a part of everyday English. Don’t worry about being good at math, because these expressions are used in all sorts of different contexts. Did you know that a person can have an angle, just like a shape can? Or that something can grow exponentially? You’ll be surprised how many English phrases come from math. Test yourself by taking the quiz at https://www.engvid.com/speakin....g-english-everyday-m .
TRANSCRIPT
Hi. Welcome to www.engvid.com. I'm Adam. In today's lesson, we're going to look at some expressions that are used in everyday English, but they come from math. Okay? So, if you know some math terminology, you'll understand these a little bit easier. We also have... I have a video about math words, you can check that out as well, but let's start with some of these.
"Plus" and "minus" or "pluses" and "minuses". Now, in math, we use: "One plus one equals", so "plus", there, is more like a verb, but it's more of an equation; it makes the equation move. Here, we're using them as nouns. Okay? So, that's a key feature you have to remember - they are nouns. And, basically, synonyms to "pluses" and "minuses" are "pros" and "cons". So, when you're looking at a situation, or an action, or an idea, you have to look at the good and the bad side; you have to look at the pros and the cons; you have to look at the pluses and the minuses; the advantages and disadvantages; the positives and the negatives. Okay? So, "plus" and "minuses" work the same way, so these give you a little bit of an extra synonym; an extra choice, especially in writing, but also in speaking.
So, if we're looking at... We're looking at this person, this candidate's presidency, and we're trying to debate: "What are the good points? What are the bad points?" So, some of the pluses of his potential presidency are that he will help the economy. The one big minus, though, is that he's a racist and he might destroy harmony in society, for example. I'm not mentioning any names; I'll leave that to you, but we'll leave it at that as well. So, he has... There are several pluses to his potential presidency; there's one big minus that might outweigh all those pluses.
Now, "exponential". "Exponential" comes from "exponent". Now, you might know this as, like... This is an exponent. But when we talk about "exponential", we're talking about it to a very large degree. Okay? To a large degree or to a large extent; something that is significant. Okay? We're talking about growth, so exponential growth; or the opposite, exponential decline; or an exponential spread. So, it means it's going to... Something is going to increase by many times, or decrease by many times, or spread very quickly.
Now, when we say: "exponential", there's no number to it. We don't actually have this number, here; we're just saying that it's going to be very fast, very large, etc. So, after World War II, the economies of most western nations grew exponentially. In this case, I'm using the adverb. "Exponential" is an adjective; "exponentially" is an adverb. And most of the countries witnessed exponential growth. The use of the internet has spread exponentially around the globe - it means it spread very fast and all over the place. So, there's no number; just very quickly, very fast. Okay?
"Parallel". Now, parallel lines are lines that run along the same path in the same direction, but never meet. Okay? So, we say: "It's in line with" or "on a similar path"; these are synonyms to "parallel". So, the FBI is conducting an investigation into the event, but the local police department, although they're going to cooperate with the FBI, are going to run a parallel investigation on their own. So they're going to help the FBI, but they're also going to have their own investigation that's going to go along the same path; a parallel investigation, meaning in the same direction.
"A fraction of". So, a "fraction" is, for example, number over a number - that's a fraction. When we say: "A fraction of", we're saying a small amount of or a partial amount. So, if you're looking at two companies who create software, let's say... So, this company creates very good software, but my company creates equally good software, but at a fraction of the cost; means much cheaper, much lower. Right? A smaller or a partial. So, they charge 1000 bucks; I charge only 600. It's a partial; it's a fraction of their price; much, much lower. Okay? So, so far we have four. Let's look at four more.
Okay, let's look at a few more. Now, "angle". So, if you're talking about lines or triangles especially, this is the angle. For example: This is a 90-degree angle. But when we talk about "angle" in everyday life, we're talking about perspective; the way we view something. […]