What are Mathematical symbols?
Mathematical symbols are used to represent mathematical concepts, objects, operations, and relationships. They are used to communicate mathematical ideas and to write mathematical equations and formulas.
Uses of Mathematical symbols
Mathematical symbols are used in many different areas of mathematics, including algebra, geometry, trigonometry, calculus, and beyond. They play a crucial role in mathematical communication and allow mathematicians to precisely and concisely describe complex mathematical concepts and procedures.
Mathematical Symbols Chart
Mathematical Symbols list
| Symbols | Symbols name | Symbols Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| % | percent | % = 100 | 10% × 100 = 10 |
| = | equals | equality | 1 + 1 = 2 |
| ≠ | not equal | inequality | 5 ≠ 4 |
| ≈ | approximately equal | approximation | π ≈ 3.14 |
| > | strict inequality | greater than | 6 > 4 |
| < | strict inequality | less than | 7 < 8 |
| ≥ | inequality | greater than or equal to | x ≥ y, means, x = y or x > y, but vice-versa does not hold true |
| ≤ | inequality | less than or equal to | x ≤ y, means, y = x or y > x, but not vice-versa |
| [] | brackets | calculate expression inside first | [5×5] + 5 = 30 |
| () | parentheses | calculate expression inside first | 5 × (5 + 5) = 50 |
| ± | plus – minus | both plus and minus operations | 7 ± 3 = 10 and 4 |
| ∓ | minus – plus | both plus and minus operations | 2 ∓ 4 = -2 and 6 |
| + | plus | addition | 5 + 5 = 10 |
| - | minus | subtraction | 10 - 5 = 5 |
| ÷ | obelus | division | 10 ÷ 2 = 5 |
| * | asterisk | multiplication | 3 * 3 = 9 |
| ∙ | multiplication dot | multiplication | 3 ∙ 3 = 9 |
| × | times | multiplication | 3 ∙ 3 = 9 |
| / | division slash | division | 4 ⁄ 2 = 2 |
| — | horizontal line | division / fraction | 4/2 = 2 |
| a^b | caret | exponent | 2 ^ 3 = 8 |
| √a | square root | √a ⋅ √a = a | √4 = ±2 |
| 3√a | cube root | 3√a ⋅ 3√a ⋅ 3√a = a | 3√27 = 3 |
| 4√a | fourth root | 4√a ⋅ 4√a ⋅ 4√a ⋅ 4√a = a | 4√16 = ±2 |
| n√a | n-th root (radical) | n√a · n√a · · · n times = a | for n=3, n√8 = 2 |
| ∑ | sigma | summation - sum of all values in range of series | ∑ xi= x1+x2+...+xn |
| ∫ | integral | opposite to derivation | ∫ f(x)dx |
| π | pi constant | π = 3.14 | c = π⋅d = 2⋅π⋅r |
| ∆ | delta | change / difference | ∆t = t1 - t0 |
| ~ | similarity | same shapes, not same size | ∆ABC~ ∆XYZ |
| ≅ | congruent to | equivalence of geometric shapes and size | ∆ABC≅ ∆XYZ |
| ∝ | proportional to | proportional to | y ∝ x when y = kx, k constant |
| ∞ | lemniscate | infinity | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 .. ∞ |
| ε | epsilon | represents a very small number, near-zero | ε → 0 |
Definition of Mathematical Symbols
☛ % percent
The percent symbol is % . It is used to indicate a number as a percentage. For example, 50% means 50 out of 100, or 0.5 in decimal form. It is commonly used in mathematics, finance and economics to express a rate or proportion.
☛ = equals
The symbol for "equal" is =, two small horizontal lines placed parallelly. It is used to indicate that two values are the same or equivalent. It is mostly used in arithmetic and algebraic equations. It is an important component in the formation of maths equations.For example, if x is a variable, the statement "x = 5" means that the value of x is equal to 5. This symbol is used to express the equality of two or more values.
☛ ≠ not equal
The symbol for "not equal" is ≠ .It is represented by two parallel horizontal lines cut by an inclined vertical line as ≠. It is used to indicate that two values are not equal or "inequality" between two different numbers, variables, integers, or concepts. For example, if x is a variable, the statement "x ≠ 5" means that the value of x is not equal to 5. This symbol is used to express the opposite of equality.
☛ ≈ approximately equal
The symbol for "approximately equal" is ≈ . It is used to indicate that two values are approximately equal, but not exactly equal. For example, if x is a variable, the statement "x ≈ 3.14" means that the value of x is approximately equal to 3.14, but not exactly equal to 3.14. The symbol is mostly used in mathematical or scientific context to express that the value is approximate and not exact.
☛ > strict inequality greater than
The symbol for a strict inequality "greater than" is > . It is used to indicate that one value is strictly greater than another value. For example, if x is a variable, the statement "x > 5" means that the value of x is strictly greater than 5.
☛ < strict inequality less than
The symbol for a strict inequality "less than" is < . It is used to indicate that one value is strictly less than another value. For example, if x is a variable, the statement "x < 5" means that the value of x is strictly less than 5.
☛ ≥ inequality greater than or equal to
The greater than or equal to symbol (≥) is a mathematical symbol used to indicate an inequality between two values. It is read as "greater than or equal to" and is used to compare two values to see if one is greater than or equal to the other. For example, the statement 5 ≥ 4 is true because 5 is greater than or equal to 4. The symbol is formed by placing an equal sign (=) above the greater than sign (>).
☛ ≤ inequality less than or equal to
The less than or equal to symbol (≤) is a mathematical symbol used to indicate an inequality between two values. It is read as "less than or equal to" and is used to compare two values to see if one is less than or equal to the other. For example, the statement 3 ≤ 4 is true because 3 is less than or equal to 4. The symbol is formed by placing an equal sign (=) below the less than sign (<).
☛ [ ] brackets
Brackets, represented by the symbols [ ] are used in various contexts, such as mathematics, programming, and writing. In mathematics, brackets are used to indicate a set, or to group numbers or variables in an expression. For example, the expression [3, 4, 5] is a set of three numbers, and [x + 2y] is an expression that represents the sum of x and twice y.
☛ ( ) parentheses
The parentheses symbols ( ) are used in mathematics and programming to group and clarify the order of operations in an expression. In mathematical expressions, parentheses can indicate the order of operations, and can be used to group numbers or variables for calculations. For example, in the expression (3 + 4) * 5, the parentheses indicate that the sum of 3 and 4 should be calculated first, before the result is multiplied by 5.
☛ ± plus – minus
The plus-minus symbol (±) is a mathematical symbol that indicates that a value or expression could be either positive or negative. It is often used to indicate the uncertainty or error in a measurement or calculation. For example, if a measurement has an uncertainty of ±0.5, it means that the true value could be 0.5 units higher or 0.5 units lower than the reported value. In mathematical expressions, it can indicate that a value or variable can have both positive and negative values. For example, x±y could mean x-y or x+y. It is also widely recognized by most systems or software and is considered as standard mathematical notation.
☛ ∓ minus – plus
The minus-plus symbol (∓) is not a commonly used mathematical operator and is not widely recognized by most systems or software. It's not a standard mathematical notation, so it's not clear what exactly it's supposed to represent. In some cases, it could be used as an abbreviation for minus-or-plus, meaning that a number could be either negative or positive, but it's not a widely accepted notation. In general, it's best to use the standard plus and minus symbols for addition and subtraction, respectively, and to use parentheses or other notation to indicate more complex operations.
☛ + plus
The plus symbol is a mathematical operator used to indicate addition. It is represented by the symbol "+" and is used to indicate the sum of two or more numbers. For example, 2 + 2 = 4. It is also used to indicate a positive number, if there is no minus symbol or any other mathematical operator in front of the number.
☛ - minus
The minus symbol (-) is used to indicate subtraction or a negative value. The minus symbol is also known as a hyphen, is a mathematical operator used to indicate subtraction or a negative number. And it is used to indicate the difference between two numbers or the opposite of a positive number. For example, 5 - 2 = 3 and -5 is the opposite of 5
☛ ÷ obelus
The obelus symbol (÷) is a mathematical symbol used to indicate division. It is often represented by a symbol that looks like a horizontal line with a dot above and below it. It is used to indicate that one number is being divided by another number. For example, if we want to divide 12 by 4, we can write 12 ÷ 4. This is equivalent to saying 12 / 4, which equals 3.
☛ * asterisk
The asterisk symbol () is used in mathematics to indicate multiplication, just like the times symbol (×) and the multiplication dot symbol (∙). For example, in mathematics, if we want to multiply 3 by 5, we can write 3 * 5. This is equivalent to saying 3 * 5, which equals 15.
☛ ∙ multiplication dot
The multiplication dot symbol (∙) is another way of indicating multiplication in mathematics. It is represented by a dot (•) or a small circle and the multiplication dot symbol is also known as the "multiplication point" or "dot". It is used to indicate that two or more values are being multiplied together. For example, if we want to multiply 3 by 5, we can write 3 ∙ 5. This is equivalent to saying 3 * 5, which equals 15.
☛ × times
The times symbol (×) is used in mathematics to indicate multiplication. It is also known as the "multiplication sign" or "cross"It is used to indicate that one number is being multiplied by another number. For example, if we want to multiply 3 by 5, we can write 3 × 5. This is equivalent to saying 3 * 5, which equals 15.
☛ / division slash
The division slash symbol (/) is used in mathematics to indicate division. It is used to indicate that one number is being divided by another number. The division slash symbol is also known as the "forward slash" or "solidus" and it is used to separate the numerator and denominator of a fraction.It is commonly used in arithmetic, algebra, and other areas of mathematics.For example, if we want to divide 12 by 4, we can write 12/4. This is equivalent to saying 12 ÷ 4, which equals 3.
☛ — horizontal line
A horizontal line is a straight line that runs from left to right, parallel to the ground or horizon. It is often used in geometry, art, and design to create symmetry and balance. In technical terms, a horizontal line is one that is perpendicular to a vertical line.
☛ a^b caret
The caret symbol (^) is used in mathematics to indicate exponentiation. It is used to raise a number (the base) to a certain power (the exponent). The caret symbol is usually placed between the base number and the exponent. The exponent can be any number, including positive, negative and fractional numbers. It is commonly used in algebra, calculus, and other areas of mathematicsFor example, if we want to raise the number 2 to the power of 3, we can write 2^3. This is equivalent to saying 2 * 2 * 2, which equals 8.
☛ √a square root
The square root symbol is a specific case of the nth root symbol, which is represented by a radical sign (√) alone. It is written as √a. This means we want to find the number, x, that when multiplied by itself equals a. In other words, it is equivalent to saying x^2 = a. It can also be written using a fractional exponent notation as x = a^(1/2) which means finding the square root of a is the same as raising a to the power of 1/2. It's also important to note that when the nth root symbol is represented by the radical sign alone, it's assumed that n=2, which means the square root.
☛ 3√a cube root
The cube root symbol is a specific case of the nth root symbol, which is represented by a radical sign (√) with a small number 3 located at the top right of the symbol. It is written as 3√a. This means we want to find the number, x, that when multiplied by itself 3 times equals a. In other words, it is equivalent to saying x^3 = a. It can also be written using a fractional exponent notation as x = a^(1/3) which means finding the cube root of a is the same as raising a to the power of 1/3. The cube root is a specific example of finding the nth root of a number, and it's important to note that for each value of n (3, 2, 4, etc.) the result will be a different number.
☛ 4√a fourth root
The fourth root symbol is a specific case of the nth root symbol, which is represented by a radical sign (√) with a small number 4 located at the top right of the symbol. It is written as 4√a. This means we want to find the number, x, that when multiplied by itself 4 times equals a. In other words, it is equivalent to saying x^4 = a. It can also be written using a fractional exponent notation as x = a^(1/4) which means finding the fourth root of a is the same as raising a to the power of 1/4. It is commonly used in mathematics, particularly in algebra and number theory. The fourth root is a specific example of finding the nth root of a number, and it's important to note that for each value of n (4, 3, 2, etc.) the result will be a different number.
☛ n√a n-th root (radical)
The nth root symbol, also known as the radical symbol or the n-th root symbol, is a symbol that is used to indicate that a value is being taken to the power of 1/n. It is represented by a radical sign (√) with a small number n located at the top right of the symbol. For example, if we want to find the fourth root of a number, we can write 4√a. This is equivalent to saying that we want to find the number that, when multiplied by itself 4 times, equals a. In other words, it is the same as saying a^(1/4). It is commonly used in mathematics, particularly in algebra and number theory. It's also important to mention that the nth root symbol is a generalization of the square root symbol, which is represented by the radical sign alone (√) and it is equivalent to say n=2.
☛ ∑ sigma
The sigma symbol (Σ) is used in mathematics to represent the sum of a series of numbers or values. It is often used in statistics and probability to represent the total of a set of data. For example, in a statistical analysis, the sigma symbol may be used to represent the sum of all the values in a sample set. In mathematics, it is used to represent the sum of a series of terms in an equation or formula.
☛ ∫ integral
The integral symbol (∫) is used in mathematics to represent the concept of integration. Integration is the process of finding the area under or between a curve on a graph. The integral symbol is placed before a function or expression to indicate that it is to be integrated, and a specific set of limits of integration are usually defined. It is also commonly used to represent the total accumulation of a changing quantity, such as displacement, over a certain interval.
☛ π pi constant
⦿ The pi constant symbol (π) is a mathematical constant that represents the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. It is approximately equal to 3.14159, but its decimal representation goes on indefinitely without repeating. It is a fundamental mathematical constant that appears in many equations in trigonometry, geometry, and physics, particularly those related to circles and circular motion. The symbol π is also used in many mathematical formulae to represent the constant. In other words it is used as a variable to represent the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, which is approximately 3.14159.
☛ ∆ delta
The delta symbol (Δ) is a Greek letter. In mathematics, it is used to indicate a change in a variable or the difference between two values. For example, in calculus, the symbol is used to represent the change in a variable with respect to another variable.
☛ ~ similarity
The similarity symbol (~) is a symbol that is commonly used in mathematics to indicate similarity between two geometric shapes. Similar shapes have the same shape but are possibly different sizes. Two shapes are similar if and only if their corresponding angles are congruent and the ratio of any two corresponding side lengths is the same. This symbol is placed between the names of two similar figures. For example, if two triangles are similar, we can write: ΔABC ~ ΔDEF.
It is commonly used in geometry to indicate that two shapes are similar, and in trigonometry, it is used to represent similar triangles.
☛ ≅ congruent to
The congruent to symbol ( ≅ ) is a symbol that is used to indicate that two geometric shapes or figures are congruent. Congruent shapes have the same shape and the same size. Two shapes are congruent if and only if all their corresponding sides and angles are equal. The symbol for congruence is the three lines "≅", placed between the two shapes, for example A≅B. It is commonly used in geometry to indicate that two shapes are congruent.
☛ ∝ proportional to
The proportional to symbol ( ∝ ) is a symbol that is used to indicate that two quantities are in proportion to each other. It is represented by the symbol "∝" and it is read as "is proportional to". For example, if y is proportional to x, we can write y ∝ x. This means that y is directly proportional to x, meaning that their ratio is always the same. The symbol can also be used in the inverse proportion, meaning that when one quantity increases, the other one decreases, and the ratio is still constant. For example, if y is inversely proportional to x, we can write y ∝ 1/x. This means that y and 1/x are always in a constant ratio.
☛ ∞ lemniscate
The lemniscate symbol ( ∞ ) is a mathematical symbol that looks like a figure eight lying on its side, and it is represented by the symbol "∞". It is often used to represent infinity, and it can be used in various mathematical operations and equations. It is most commonly used in calculus, specifically in limits and asymptotes, to indicate that a value or function approaches infinity or negative infinity. It can also be used in geometry to indicate a specific type of curve, called a lemniscate.
☛ ε epsilon
The epsilon symbol (ε) is a Greek letter. In mathematics, it is often used to represent a small positive value in limits, calculus, and analysis. It is used to indicate that a value is close to zero or that a quantity is small compared to other values in the same context.