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Mathematics vocabulary · Reading Maths Aloud

Parentheses

Meaning in mathematics, with examples

/pəˈrenθəsiːz/nounCore term

In mathematics, parentheses means: The pair of curved symbols ( ) used to group parts of an expression so that they are calculated first, as in 3(x + 2).

In Turkish: parantez, ayraç

How it is used

US English says 'parentheses' (singular 'parenthesis'); British English usually says 'brackets' or 'round brackets'. You open, close, expand and multiply out parentheses. The order of operations is remembered as PEMDAS (US) or BIDMAS/BODMAS (UK).

Example sentences

  1. Work out the part in parentheses first, then multiply.

  2. You forgot to close the parentheses, so the calculator gave a different answer.

Common collocations

  • in parentheses
  • open parentheses
  • close parentheses
  • expand the brackets
  • expressionA combination of numbers, variables and operation signs, such as 4x² − 3x + 7, that has no equals sign and can be simplified or evaluated.
  • multiplyTo add a number to itself a given number of times; for example, if you multiply 4 by 3, you get 12.
  • simplifyTo write a fraction or expression in its shortest and clearest form without changing its value, for example writing 6/8 as 3/4.
  • squaredMultiplied by itself; used to read a power of 2 aloud, so x² is 'x squared' and 5² = 25 is 'five squared is twenty-five'.

More terms: Reading Maths Aloud

Practise with graded reading

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