Algebraic Language (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain what algebraic language is, its origins and functions. Also, examples of algebraic expressions and what types they can be.

What is an algebraic language?

The algebraic language It is the language of mathematics. That is, a system of expression that uses symbols and numbers to express what we usually communicate through words, and that allow you to formulate theorems, solve problems and express proportions or formal relationships of different nature.

The algebraic language was born, logically, together with algebra, the branch of mathematics that studies the relationship and combination of abstract elements according to certain rules. These elements can be numbers or quantities, but they can also be unknown values or specific numerical ranges, for which letters are used (known as unknowns or variables).

Originally, this field of knowledge was called al-jabr wa l-muqabalathat is, “the science of restoring balance”, as formulated by one of its fathers, the Persian astronomer, geographer and mathematician Al-Juarismi (ca. 780-ca. 850). The name came from the study of how to move a term from one side of an equation to the other, or how to add one to both sides to preserve proportion. Over time, al-jabr came to Latin as algeber either algebra.

Seen this way, then, algebraic language is the language of algebra. The written forms that said language produces are known as algebraic expressions: any number, any equation are perfect examples of this. Using these types of expressions, then, we can “speak” algebraic language, and communicate relationships and operations that go far beyond the scope of mere arithmetic.

What is an algebraic language for?

As we have said before, algebraic language is used to construct algebraic expressions, that is, formulations in which numbers, symbols and letters are combined to express a logical and/or formal relationship in which some quantities are known and others are unknown.

Algebraic expressions, then, are ordered chains of these signs, in which we will find numbers, letters and arithmetic operators. Depending on which ones they are, we can distinguish between, for example:

Unknowns (expressing unknown values) or variables (which express non-fixed values), the latter being dependent or independent.
Arithmetic signs (which express certain arithmetic operations).
Superscripts or powers (which involve multiplying a number by itself a certain number of times).
Roots or radicals (which involve dividing a number by itself a certain number of times).
Features (expressing a dependency relationship between two values of two or more expressions).