Numerals in math & use of numeral “zero”
NUMERALS IN MATH
Expressions and mathematical operation are read as follows:
VULGAR FRACTIONS
1/2 1/4 5/8 13/4 | a half a quarter five eights one and three quarters |
DECIMAL FRACTIONS
In decimal fractions in English, we put a dot.
Each fraction’s digit is read separately and zero is pronounced as nought:
0.5 2.98 | nought point five two point nine eight |
ADDITION
2+2=4 4+1=? | two and two is four (or two plus two is four) What’s four and one? (or What’s four plus one) |
Beside greater numbers and formal speech:
345+36=381
three hundred and forty-five plus thirty-six equals three hundred and eighty-one
SUBTRACTION
5-2=3 | two from five is three (or five minus two is three) |
Beside greater numbers and formal speech:
520-111=409
five hundred and twenty minus one hundred and eleven equals four hundred and nine
MULTIPLICATION
3×2=6 5×4=20 | three twos are six five fours are twenty |
Beside greater numbers and formal speech:
13×100=1300
thirteen times one hundred is/makes one thousand three hundred
DIVISION
12:4=3 | twelve divided by four is three |
ZERO
Digit “0” is pronounced in a few different ways depending on the context:
“0” | use | example |
---|---|---|
zero | when quoting temperatures | It’s zero degrees Celcius. |
nought | in math | nought point eight (0.8) |
[əu] | phone numbers, years and any numbers where numbers are given individually (e.g. bank account codes) | 230-5406/ two three o– five four o six |
nil | in ensemble games’ scores (e.g. in football) | United lost two-nil. |
love | in tennis and table tennis | It’s fifteen-love for Anna Kurnikova. |