Does one ever use "Deux et deux font quatre" or "Deux et deux égal/égale quatre"?

Question

I'm just wondering if "et" is used rather than "plus", or if that's an outmoded thing (or if the book I have is totally wrong...).

Ron Thomas · Answer

Bonsoir Bonnie,
In fact, I have several different textbooks and each one uses «deux PLUS deux font or egal» in their respective sections discussing math.  In keeping with the math terms, i.e. moins, divisé, fois; it makes sense to use plus and not «et».

Bonne soirée.

Chris Wirt · Answer

Ron's right. It is the same in English. You would rather say "2 plus 2 makes/equals four" and not "2 and 2 makes/equals four". In short: use "plus" and not "et". The latter is reserved for enumerations.

-- Chris.

Bonnie Christianson · Answer

Merci. But here's something from ThoughtCo.com that adds to my confusion.

by Laura K. Lawless
Updated March 04, 2017
Whether you're teaching math operations in French class, planning to study math in a French school, or just interested in knowing French vocabulary from a new domain, this list of French math ​vocabulary will help you on your way.
....
FOR EXAMPLE:
  	        More formal  	                Less formal	                  Familiar
2+2=4	2 plus 2 égale 4	                2 et 2 font 4	                  2 et 2, ça fait 4
2-2=0	2 moins 2 égale 0                2 moins 2 font 0	          2 moins 2, ça fait 0
2×2=4	2 multiplié par 2 égale 4	2 fois 2 font 4	          2 fois 2, ça fait 4
2÷2=1	2 divisé par 2 égale 1	        2 divisé par 2 font 1	  2 sur 2, ça fait 1

This was written by Laura Lawless (who is also employed by kwiziq.com, I believe) who is one of my favorite authorities on French language and culture. The Bon Voyage! textbook that is used by my school actually teaches "Deux plus deux, ça fait quatre." which according to the usage chart done by Ms. Lawless is a mixture of the most formal and least formal (familiar).

And Claus, I would add that in American English "One and one is two." is used. "Two and two are/equal(s)/make four." Etc. There was even a song ("Don't Know Much About History") in the mid-late 1960s that used a line something like "But I know that one and one is two, And if this one could be with you, What a wonderful world it would be.".

Bonnie Christianson · Answer

I apologize that the formatting I copied from ThoughtCo.com and then tried to insert correct spaces into did not transfer into my reply above. I hope that you can see where the "columns" would be or make sense of it!

Regina Brown · Answer

When I was taking French in high school thirty years ago, "et" was acceptable.

Regina Brown · Answer

Forgot to mention, too, that when I lived in France for several months in the '90s, either worked, and I heard French people use both.

Chris Davis · Answer

I'm wondering the same thing.  One of my textbooks doesn't even offer the "plus" option... just "deux et deux font quatre."

Chris Davis · Answer

I'm wondering the same thing.  One of my textbooks doesn't even offer the "plus" option... just "deux et deux font quatre."

Chris Davis · Answer

double post, please delete this

Mark Pickin · Answer

"You would rather say "2 plus 2 makes/equals four" and not "2 and 2 makes/equals four""

I can very much remember doing repetitions of 2 and 2 etc.. although agree that was only at a pretty elementary level!