A. Pronunciation of numbers

Notice how we say the following:

• 28% twenty-eight per cent
• 1¾ one and three quarters
• 4² four squared
• 10×12m ten metres by twelve metres
• 4/5 four fifths
• 7³ seven cubed
• 9/13 nine thirteenths / nine over thirteen
• 8⁴ eight to the power of four
• 10.3 ten point three
• 32°C or F thirty-two degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit

Decimal fractions are separated by a dot and not a comma in English and this is pronounced point.

Note how commas are used to separate each set of three numbers in long numbers:
1,623,457 = one million, six hundred and twenty-three thousand, four hundred and fifty-seven.

Telephone numbers are usually said like this: 01223 20675 = oh one double two three, two oh six, seven five.

B. Two-dimensional shapes

The corresponding adjectives are: circular, pentagonal, rectangular, triangular, square, octagonal, oval.

A rectangle has four right angles. A pentagon has five sides.
A circle is cut in half by its diameter. Its two halves can be called semi-circles.
The radius of a circle is the distance from its centre to the circumference.

C. Three-dimensional shapes

The corresponding adjectives are: spherical, cubic, pyramidal, spiral.
The two halves of a sphere can be called hemispheres.

D. Arithmetic

+ addition  − subtraction  × multiplication  ÷ division

2x + 3y − z = 3z⁄4x Two x plus three y minus z equals three z divided by four x or three z over four x
6 × 7 = 42  Six times / multiplied by seven is forty-two or six sevens are forty-two.