Mathematics is a language all it's own. The symbols and letters we use in math each represent a quantity, value, expression, or idea. When we write the equation 2 + 2 = 4, we understand that if you combine two things with two other things, we will then have a total of four things. This of course is a very simple idea in the grand scheme of mathematics, however it is an example of this very special and different language.
Most students who come to the United States while still in grade school have a much more difficult time learning our language than they do working with numbers in mathematics. This is because mathematics is a universal language that spans the globe. The number three is the number three in the United States, France, Germany, Korea, and India. When we use Mathematical Literacy we are communicating with a language that is easily understood across many different cultures and spoken languages. When we use Mathematical Literacy we are conveying an idea, expressing a thought, bringing to light a problem that needs solving. And when we use Mathematical Literacy, we are able to reach out to anyone willing to help us solve an equation or a problem, or we are able to solve an equation or problem presented to us by another.
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