RapidTables Search

Home › Math › Symbols › Math symbols

Math Symbols List

List of all mathematical symbols and signs - meaning and examples.

Basic math symbols

5 = 2+3
= equals sign equality
5 is equal to 2+3
5≠4
≠ not equal sign inequality
5 is not equal to 4
sin(0.01) ≈ 0.01,
approximately x ≈ y means x is
≈ equal
approximation
approximately equal to
y
5>4
> strict inequality greater than
5 is greater than 4
4<5
< strict inequality less than
4 is less than 5
5 ≥ 4,
greater than or equal
≥ inequality
to
x ≥ y means x is greater
than or equal to y
4 ≤ 5,
≤ inequality less than or equal to x ≤ y means x is less
than or equal to y
calculate expression
() parentheses
inside first
2 × (3+5) = 16
calculate expression
[] brackets
inside first [(1+2)×(1+5)] = 18

+ plus sign addition 1+1=2

− minus sign subtraction 2−1=1

both plus and minus
± plus - minus
operations
3 ± 5 = 8 or -2
± both minus and plus
minus - plus
operations 3 ∓ 5 = -2 or 8

* asterisk multiplication 2*3=6

× times sign multiplication 2×3=6

multiplication
⋅ dot
multiplication 2⋅3=6

division sign /
÷ division 6÷2=3
obelus
 / division slash division 6/2=3

— horizontal line division / fraction

mod modulo remainder calculation 7 mod 2 = 1

decimal point, decimal
. period
separator 2.56 = 2+56/100

ab power exponent 23 = 8

a^b caret exponent 2^3=8

√a square root √a ⋅ √a = a √9 = ±3

3
√a cube root 3
√a ⋅ 3√a ⋅ 3√a = a 3
√8 = 2

4
4
⋅ 4√a ⋅ 4√a ⋅ 4√a 4
√a
√a fourth root
=a
√16 = ±2

n√a n-th root

(radical) for n=3, n√8 = 2

% percent 1% = 1/100 10% × 30 = 3

1‰ = 1/1000 =
‰ per-mille
0.1%
10‰ × 30 = 0.3

1ppm =
ppm per-million 10ppm × 30 = 0.0003
1/1000000
1ppb =
ppb per-billion 10ppb × 30 = 3×10-7
1/1000000000
ppt per-trillion
Symbol Symbol Name 1ppt = 10/ -12
Meaning definition 10ppt × 30 = 3×10-10
Example

Geometry symbols

∠ angle formed by two rays ∠ABC = 30°

measured
ABC = 30°
angle
spherical
angle
AOB = 30°

∟ right angle = 90° α = 90°

° degree 1 turn = 360° α = 60°

deg degree 1 turn = 360deg α = 60deg

′ prime arcminute, 1° = 60′ α = 60°59′

α=
″ double prime arcsecond, 1′ = 60″
60°59′59″

line infinite line

AB line segment line from point A to point B

 ray line that start from point A

arc arc from point A to point B = 60°

⊥ perpendicular perpendicular lines (90° angle) AC ⊥ BC

∥ parallel parallel lines AB ∥ CD

equivalence of geometric shapes and ∆ABC≅

≅ congruent to
size ∆XYZ
∆ABC~
~ similarity same shapes, not same size
∆XYZ
ΔABC≅
Δ triangle triangle shape
ΔBCD

|x-
distance distance between points x and y | x-y | = 5
y|
π = 3.141592654...
Symbol Symbol Name Meaning / definition Example
is the ratio between the
c = π⋅d =
π pi constant
circumference and diameter of a 2⋅π⋅r
circle

360° = 2π
rad radians radians angle unit
rad
c radians radians angle unit 360° = 2π c
gradians / 360° = 400
grad gons
grads angle unit
grad
g gradians /
Symbol gons
Symbol Name
grads angle unit
Meaning / definition 360° = 400 g
Example

Algebra symbols

x x variable unknown value to find when 2x = 4, then x = 2

≡ equivalence identical to

equal by
≜ definition
equal by definition

equal by
:= definition
equal by definition

approximately
~ equal
weak approximation 11 ~ 10

approximately
≈ equal
approximation sin(0.01) ≈ 0.01

y ∝ x when y = kx, k
∝ proportional to proportional to
constant

Symbol lemniscate
Symbol Name infinity symbol
Meaning / definition Example
∞
 ≪ much less than much less than 1 ≪ 1000000
much greater
≫ than
much greater than 1000000 ≫ 1
calculate expression
() parentheses
inside first 2 * (3+5) = 16
calculate expression
[] brackets
inside first [(1+2)*(1+5)] = 18

{} braces set

rounds number to lower

⌊x⌋ floor brackets
integer ⌊4.3⌋ = 4
ceiling rounds number to upper
⌈x⌉ brackets integer ⌈4.3⌉ = 5
exclamation
x! mark
factorial 4! = 1*2*3*4 = 24

|x
vertical bars absolute value | -5 | = 5
|
f (x) function of x maps values of x to f(x) f (x) = 3x+5

function f (x)=3x,g(x)=x-1 ⇒(f ∘ g)

(f ∘ g) composition (f ∘ g) (x) = f (g(x))
(x)=3(x-1)
(a,b) = {x | a < x <
(a,b) open interval
b}
x∈ (2,6)

[a,b] = {x | a ≤ x ≤
[a,b] closed interval
b}
x ∈ [2,6]

∆ delta change / difference ∆t = t1 - t0

∆ discriminant Δ = b2 - 4ac
summation - sum of all
∑ sigma
values in range of series
∑ xi= x1+x2+...+xn

∑∑ sigma double summation

product - product of all

∏ capital pi
values in range of series
∏ xi=x1∙x2∙...∙xn

e constant /
e e = 2.718281828... e = lim (1+1/x)x , x→∞
Euler's number

Euler-

γ Mascheroni γ = 0.5772156649...
constant

φ golden ratio golden ratio constant

π = 3.141592654...
is the ratio between the
π pi constant
circumference and
c = π⋅d = 2⋅π⋅r

diameter of a circle
Symbol Symbol Name Meaning / definition Example
Linear Algebra Symbols

· dot scalar product a·b

× cross vector product a×b
A⊗B tensor product tensor product of A and B A⊗B
inner product

[] brackets matrix of numbers

() parentheses matrix of numbers

|A| determinant determinant of matrix A

det(A) determinant determinant of matrix A

Symbol Symbol Name Meaning / definition Example
|| x double vertical
norm
|| bars

T
(AT)ij =
A transpose matrix transpose
(A)ji

A† Hermitian matrix
matrix conjugate
transpose (A†)ij = (A)ji

A* Hermitian matrix
matrix conjugate
transpose (A*)ij = (A)ji
A -1 inverse matrix A A-1 = I

rank(A) matrix rank rank of matrix A rank(A) = 3

dim(U)
Symbol dimension
Symbol Name dimension
Meaningof/matrix A
definition dim(U) =3
Example

Probability and statistics symbols

probability probability of event

P(A) function A
P(A) = 0.5

probability of
probability that of
P(A ⋂ B) events
events A and B P(A⋂B) = 0.5
intersection
probability of probability that of
P(A ⋃ B) events union events A or B P(A⋃B) = 0.5
conditional probability of event
P(A | B) probability A given event B P(A | B) = 0.3
function occured
probability
density P(a ≤ x ≤ b) = ∫ f
f (x) function (x) dx
(pdf)
cumulative
distribution
F(x) function
F(x) = P(X≤ x)
(cdf)
 population mean of population
μ mean values μ = 10

expectation expected value of

E(X) random variable X E(X) = 10
value

expected value of
conditional
E(X | Y) expectation
random variable X E(X | Y=2) = 5
given Y
variance of random
var(X) variance
variable X var(X) = 4
variance of
σ2 variance
population values σ2 = 4

standard standard deviation

std(X) of random variable std(X) = 2
deviation X

standard standard deviation

σX value of random σX = 2
deviation variable X

middle value of
median
random variable x
covariance of
cov(X,Y) covariance random variables X cov(X,Y) = 4
and Y
correlation of
corr(X,Y) correlation random variables X corr(X,Y) = 0.6
and Y
correlation of
ρX,Y correlation random variables X ρX,Y = 0.6
and Y
summation - sum of
∑ summation all values in range
of series

double
∑∑ summation
double summation

value that occurs

Mo mode most frequently in
population

MR =
MR mid-range
(xmax+xmin)/2
sample half the population
Md median is below this value
lower / first 25% of population
Q1 quartile are below this value
50% of population
median /
are below this value
Q2 second
= median of
quartile
samples
upper / third 75% of population
Q3 quartile are below this value
average / arithmetic
x sample mean
mean
x = (2+5+9) / 3 = 5.333
 sample population samples
s2 variance variance estimator s2=4
sample population samples
s standard standard deviation s=2
deviation estimator
standard
zx score
zx = (x-x) / sx

distribution distribution of
X~ random variable X X ~ N(0,3)
of X

normal gaussian
N(μ,σ2) distribution
X ~ N(0,3)
distribution

uniform equal probability in

U(a,b) distribution range a,b
X ~ U(0,3)

exp(λ)
exponential f (x) = λe-λx ,
distribution x≥0
gamma(c, gamma f (x) = λ c xc-1e-
λ) distribution λx / Γ(c), x≥0

chi-square f (x) = xk/2-1e-x/2

χ 2(k) distribution / ( 2k/2 Γ(k/2) )
F (k1, k2) F distribution

binomial f (k) = nCk pk(1-

Bin(n,p) distribution
p)n-k
Poisson
Poisson(λ) distribution f (k) = λke-λ / k!
geometric
Geom(p) distribution f (k) = p(1-p) k
hyper-
HG(N,K,n) geometric
distribution
Bernoulli
Symbol
Bern(p)
Symbol
distribution
Name
Meaning / definition Example

Combinatorics Symbols

n! factorial n! = 1⋅2⋅3⋅...⋅n 5! = 1⋅2⋅3⋅4⋅5 = 120

n Pk permutation 5 P3 = 5! / (5-3)! = 60

nCk

combination 5C3 = 5!/[3!(5-3)!]=10

Symbol Symbol Name Meaning / definition Example

Set theory symbols

 Symbol A = {3,7,9,14},
{ Symbol
} set Name aMeaning / definition
collection of elements Example
B = {9,14,28}
objects that belong to set A
A ∩ B intersection and set B A ∩ B = {9,14}

objects that belong to set A or A∪B=

A ∪ B union set B {3,7,9,14,28}
A is a subset of B. set A is {9,14,28} ⊆
A ⊆ B subset included in set B. {9,14,28}
proper subset / strict A is a subset of B, but A is not {9,14} ⊂
A ⊂ B subset equal to B. {9,14,28}
{9,66} ⊄
A ⊄ B not subset set A is not a subset of set B
{9,14,28}
A is a superset of B. set A {9,14,28} ⊇
A ⊇ B superset includes set B {9,14,28}
proper superset / A is a superset of B, but B is {9,14,28} ⊃
A ⊃ B strict superset not equal to A. {9,14}
{9,14,28} ⊅
A ⊅ B not superset set A is not a superset of set B
{9,66}
2A power set all subsets of A

power set all subsets of A

A={3,9,14},
both sets have the same
A = B equality members
B={3,9,14},
A=B
all the objects that do not
Ac complement
belong to set A

A = {3,9,14},
objects that belong to A and
A \ B relative complement not to B B = {1,2,3},
A-B = {9,14}
A = {3,9,14},
objects that belong to A and
A - B relative complement not to B B = {1,2,3},
A-B = {9,14}
A = {3,9,14},
symmetric objects that belong to A or B B = {1,2,3},
A∆B difference but not to their intersection A∆B=
{1,2,9,14}
A = {3,9,14},
symmetric objects that belong to A or B B = {1,2,3},
A ⊖ B difference but not to their intersection A⊖B=
{1,2,9,14}
element of, A={3,9,14}, 3 ∈
a∈A belongs to
set membership
A
A={3,9,14}, 1 ∉
x∉A not element of no set membership
A

(a,b) ordered pair collection of 2 elements

 Symbol A×B =
Symbol Meaning / definition Example
Name set of all ordered pairs from A
A×B cartesian product
and B
{(a,b)|a∈A ,
b∈B}
the number of elements of set A={3,9,14},
|A| cardinality
A |A|=3
the number of elements of set A={3,9,14},
#A cardinality
A #A=3

| vertical bar such that A={x|3<x<14}

infinite cardinality of natural
aleph-null
numbers set
cardinality of countable ordinal
aleph-one
numbers set

Ø empty set Ø={} C = {Ø}

universal set set of all possible values

natural numbers /
0 whole numbers set 0 = {0,1,2,3,4,...} 0∈ 0
(with zero)
natural numbers /
1 whole numbers set 1 = {1,2,3,4,5,...} 6∈ 1
(without zero)

integer numbers set = {...-3,-2,-1,0,1,2,3,...} -6 ∈

rational numbers set = {x | x=a/b, a,b∈ } 2/6 ∈

real numbers set = {x | -∞ < x <∞} 6.343434∈

complex numbers = {z | z=a+bi,
6+2i ∈
Symbol set Symbol Name -∞<a<∞,
Meaning-∞<b<∞}
/ definition Example

Logic symbols

⋅ and and x⋅y

^ caret / circumflex and x^y

& ampersand and x&y

+ plus or x+y

∨ reversed caret or x∨y

| vertical line or x|y

x' single quote not - negation x'

x bar not - negation x

¬ not not - negation ¬x

! exclamation mark not - negation !x

 ⊕ circled plus / oplus exclusive or - xor x⊕y

~ tilde negation ~x

⇒ implies

⇔ equivalent if and only if (iff)

↔ equivalent if and only if (iff)

∀ for all

∃ there exists

∄ there does not exists

∴ therefore
Symbol Symbol Name Meaning / definition Example
∵ because / since

Calculus & analysis symbols

Symbol Symbol Name Meaning / definition Example

limit limit value of a function

represents a very small

ε epsilon
number, near zero
ε→0

e constant / Euler's e = lim (1+1/x)x

e e = 2.718281828...
number , x→∞
derivative - Lagrange's
y'
Symbol derivative
Symbol Name Meaning
notation / definition (3x3)'Example
= 9x2

y '' second derivative derivative of derivative (3x3)'' = 18x

y(n) nth derivative n times derivation (3x3)(3) = 18

derivative - Leibniz's
derivative
notation d(3x3)/dx = 9x2
Symbol Symbol Name Meaning / definition2 Example
second derivative derivative of derivative
d (3x3)/dx2 =
18x

nth derivative n times derivation

derivative by time -
time derivative
Newton's notation

time second derivative derivative of derivative

derivative - Euler's
Dx y derivative
notation

Dx2y second derivative derivative of derivative

partial derivative ∂(x2+y2)/∂x =

2x
 Symbol Symbol Name Meaning / definition Example

∫ integral opposite to derivation ∫ f(x)dx

integration of function
∫∫ double integral
of 2 variables ∫∫ f(x,y)dxdy

integration of function ∫∫∫

∫∫∫ triple integral
of 3 variables f(x,y,z)dxdydz
closed contour / line
∮ integral

∯ closed surface integral

∰ closed volume integral

[a,b] = {x | a ≤ x ≤
[a,b] closed interval
b}
(a,b) = {x | a < x <
(a,b) open interval
b}

i imaginary unit i ≡ √-1 z = 3 + 2i

z* complex conjugate z = a+bi → z*=a-bi z* = 3 - 2i

z complex conjugate z = a+bi → z = a-bi z = 3 - 2i

real part of a complex
Re(z) number z = a+bi → Re(z)=a Re(3 - 2i) = 3
imaginary part of a
Im(z) complex number z = a+bi → Im(z)=b Im(3 - 2i) = -2
absolute |z| = |a+bi| =
|z| value/magnitude of a
√(a2+b2)
|3 - 2i| = √13
complex number

argument of a complex The angle of the radius arg(3 + 2i) =

arg(z) number in the complex plane 33.7°
gradient / divergence
∇ nabla / del
operator ∇f (x,y,z)

vector

unit vector

x*y convolution y(t) = x(t) * h(t)

Laplace transform F(s) = {f (t)}

Fourier transform X(ω) = {f (t)}

δ delta function

∞ lemniscate infinity symbol

Numeral symbols
Name Western Arabic Roman Eastern Arabic Hebrew

zero 0 ٠

one 1 I ١ ‫א‬
 Name Western Arabic Roman Eastern Arabic Hebrew

two 2 II ٢ ‫ב‬

three 3 III ٣ ‫ג‬

four 4 IV ٤ ‫ד‬

five 5 V ٥ ‫ה‬

six 6 VI ٦ ‫ו‬

seven 7 VII ٧ ‫ז‬

eight 8 VIII ٨ ‫ח‬

nine 9 IX ٩ ‫ט‬

ten 10 X ١٠ ‫י‬

eleven 11 XI ١١ ‫יא‬

twelve 12 XII ١٢ ‫יב‬

thirteen 13 XIII ١٣ ‫יג‬

fourteen 14 XIV ١٤ ‫יד‬

fifteen 15 XV ١٥ ‫טו‬

sixteen 16 XVI ١٦ ‫טז‬

seventeen 17 XVII ١٧ ‫יז‬

eighteen 18 XVIII ١٨ ‫יח‬

nineteen 19 XIX ١٩ ‫יט‬

twenty 20 XX ٢٠ ‫כ‬

thirty 30 XXX ٣٠ ‫ל‬

forty 40 XL ٤٠ ‫מ‬

fifty 50 L ٥٠ ‫נ‬

sixty 60 LX ٦٠ ‫ס‬

seventy 70 LXX ٧٠ ‫ע‬

eighty 80 LXXX ٨٠ ‫פ‬

ninety 90 XC ٩٠ ‫צ‬

one hundred 100 C ١٠٠ ‫ק‬

Greek alphabet letters

Upper Case Lower Case Greek Letter English Letter Name
Letter Letter Name Equivalent Pronounce

Α α Alpha a al-fa

Β β Beta b be-ta

Γ γ Gamma g ga-ma
 Δ δ Delta d del-ta

Ε ε Epsilon e ep-si-lon

Ζ ζ Zeta z ze-ta

Η η Eta h eh-ta

Θ θ Theta th te-ta

Ι ι Iota i io-ta

Κ κ Kappa k ka-pa

Λ λ Lambda l lam-da

Μ μ Mu m m-yoo

Ν ν Nu n noo

Ξ ξ Xi x x-ee

Ο ο Omicron o o-mee-c-ron

Π π Pi p pa-yee

Ρ ρ Rho r row

Σ σ Sigma s sig-ma

Τ τ Tau t ta-oo

Υ υ Upsilon u oo-psi-lon

Φ φ Phi ph f-ee

Χ χ Chi ch kh-ee

Ψ ψ Psi ps p-see

Ω ω Omega o o-me-ga

Roman numerals
Number Roman numeral

0 not defined
1 I
2 II
3 III
4 IV
5 V
6 VI
7 VII
8 VIII
9 IX
10 X
 Number Roman numeral

11 XI
12 XII
13 XIII
14 XIV
15 XV
16 XVI
17 XVII
18 XVIII
19 XIX
20 XX
30 XXX
40 XL
50 L
60 LX
70 LXX
80 LXXX
90 XC
100 C
200 CC
300 CCC
400 CD
500 D
600 DC
700 DCC
800 DCCC
900 CM
1000 M
5000 V
10000 X
50000 L
100000 C
500000 D
1000000 M

See also

Algebra symbols
Geometry symbols

Statistical symbols

Logic symbols

Set theory symbols

Calculus & analysis symbols

Number symbols

Greek alphabet symbols

Roman numerals

Infinity symbol

HTML symbols codes

Math calculators

Home | Web | Math | Electricity | Calculators | Converters | Tools

© RapidTables.com | About | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Manage Cookies