Mathematical symbols (+,-,x,,=,<,>,...

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MATH SYMBOLS

Basic math symbols

Algebra symbols
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Mathematical Symbols
List of all mathematical symbols and signs - meaning and examples.

Basic math symbols

Geometry symbols
Algebra symbols
Probability & statistics symbols
Set theory symbols
Logic symbols
Calculus & analysis symbols
Number symbols
Greek symbols
Roman numerals

Basic math symbols

Symbol

>
<

()
[]
+

Symbol Name

Meaning / definition

Example

equals sign

equality

5 = 2+3

not equal sign

inequality

54

strict inequality

greater than

5>4

strict inequality

less than

4<5

inequality

greater than or equal to

54

inequality

less than or equal to

45

parentheses

calculate expression inside first

2 (3+5) = 16

brackets

calculate expression inside first

[(1+2)*(1+5)] = 18

plus sign

addition

1+1=2

minus sign

subtraction

21=1

plus - minus

both plus and minus operations

3 5 = 8 and -2

minus - plus

both minus and plus operations

3 5 = -2 and 8

asterisk

multiplication

2*3=6

times sign

multiplication

23=6

multiplication dot

multiplication

23=6

division sign / obelus

division

62=3

division slash

division

6/2=3

horizontal line

division / fraction

mod

modulo

remainder calculation

7 mod 2 = 1

.
ab
a^b
a
3
a
4
a
n
a
%

period

decimal point, decimal separator

2.56 = 2+56/100

power

exponent

23 = 8

caret

exponent

2^3=8

square root

a a = a

9 = 3

cube root

forth root

n-th root (radical)

for n=3, n8 = 2

percent

8 = 2
16 = 2

1% = 1/100

10% 30 = 3

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per-mille

1 = 1/1000 = 0.1%

10 30 = 0.3

ppm

per-million

1ppm = 1/1000000

10ppm 30 = 0.0003

ppb

per-billion

1ppb = 1/1000000000

10ppb 30 = 310-7

ppt

per-trillion

1ppb = 10-12

10ppb 30 = 310-10

Geometry symbols
Symbol

AB

|
||

| x-y |

Symbol Name

angle

Meaning / definition

formed by two rays

Example

ABC = 30

measured angle

ABC = 30

spherical angle

AOB = 30

right angle

= 90

= 90

degree

1 turn = 360

= 60

arcminute

1 = 60

= 6059'

arcsecond

1 = 60

= 6059'59''

line

line from point A to point B

ray

line that start from point A

perpendicular

perpendicular lines (90 angle)

AC | BC

parallel

parallel lines

AB || CD

congruent to

equivalence of geometric
shapes and size

ABC XYZ

similarity

same shapes, not same size

ABC ~ XYZ

triangle

triangle shape

ABC BCD

distance

distance between points x and

y

| x-y | = 5

= 3.141592654...

rad
grad

pi constant

is the ratio between the

circumference and diameter of a
circle

c = d = 2r

radians

radians angle unit

grads

grads angle unit

360 = 2 rad
360 = 400 grad

Algebra symbols
Symbol

:=
~

()
[]
{}
x

Symbol Name

Meaning / definition

Example

when 2x = 4, then x = 2

x variable

unknown value to find

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

proportional to

proportional to

f(x) g(x)

lemniscate

infinity symbol

much less than

much less than

1 1000000

much greater than

much greater than

1000000 1

parentheses

calculate expression inside first

2 * (3+5) = 16

brackets

calculate expression inside first

[(1+2)*(1+5)] = 18

braces

set

floor brackets

rounds number to lower integer

4.3= 4

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x
x!
|x|
f (x)
(f g)
(a,b)
[a,b]

ceiling brackets

rounds number to upper integer

4.3= 5

exclamation mark

factorial

4! = 1*2*3*4 = 24

single vertical bar

absolute value

| -5 | = 5

function of x

maps values of x to f(x)

f (x) = 3x+5

function composition

(f g) (x) = f (g(x))

f (x)=3x, g(x)=x-1 (f
g)(x)=3(x-1)

open interval

(a,b) {x | a < x < b}

x (2,6)

closed interval

[a,b] {x | a x b}

x [2,6]

delta

change / difference

t = t1 - t0

discriminant

= b2 - 4ac

sigma

summation - sum of all values in

range of series

sigma

double summation

capital pi

product - product of all values in

range of series

xi=x1x2...xn

e constant / Euler's
number
Euler-Mascheroni
constant

e = 2.718281828...

e = lim (1+1/x)x , x

golden ratio

golden ratio constant

xi= x1+x2+...+xn

= 0.527721566...

Linear Algebra Symbols

Symbol

AB

Symbol Name

Meaning / definition

dot

scalar product

cross

vector product

tensor product

tensor product of A and B

Example

ab
ab
AB

inner product

[]
()
|A|
det(A)
|| x ||

brackets

matrix of numbers

parentheses

matrix of numbers

determinant

determinant of matrix A

determinant

determinant of matrix A

double vertical bars

norm

AT

transpose

matrix transpose

(AT)ij = (A)ji

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)

dimension

dimension of matrix A

rank(U) = 3

Probability and statistics symbols

Symbol

Symbol Name

P(A)
P(A B)

probability function

probability of event A

P(A) = 0.5

probability of
events intersection
probability of
events union
conditional
probability function

probability that of events A and

B
probability that of events A or
B
probability of event A given
event B occured

P(AB) = 0.5

P(A B)
P(A | B)

Meaning / definition

Example

P(AB) = 0.5
P(A | B) = 0.3

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f (x)
F(x)

E(X)
E(X | Y)
var(X)
2
std(X)
X

probability density
function (pdf)
cumulative
distribution function
(cdf)

P(a x b) = f (x) dx

population mean

mean of population values

= 10
E(X) = 10

conditional
expectation

expected value of random

variable X
expected value of random
variable X given Y

variance

variance of random variable X

var(X) = 4

variance

variance of population values

2 = 4

standard deviation of random

variable X
standard deviation value of
random variable X
middle value of random
variable x
covariance of random
variables X and Y
correlation of random variables
X and Y
correlation of random variables
X and Y

std(X) = 2

expectation value

standard deviation
standard deviation
median

F(x) = P(X x)

E(X | Y=2) = 5

X = 2

cov(X,Y)

covariance

corr(X,Y)

correlation

X,Y

correlation

summation

summation - sum of all values

in range of series

double summation

double summation

Mo
MR
Md
Q1

mode

value that occurs most

frequently in population

mid-range

MR = (xmax+xmin)/2

Q2

median / second
quartile
upper / third
quartile

half the population is below this

value
25% of population are below
this value
50% of population are below
this value = median of samples
75% of population are below
this value

sample mean

average / arithmetic mean

x = (2+5+9) / 3 = 5.333
s2=4

sample standard
deviation

population samples variance

estimator
population samples standard
deviation estimator

standard score

zx = (x-x) / sx

distribution of X

distribution of random variable

X

X ~ N(0,3)

N(, )
U(a,b)

normal distribution

gaussian distribution

uniform distribution

equal probability in range a,b

X ~ N(0,3)
X ~ U(0,3)

exp()

exponential
distribution

f (x) = e-x , x0

gamma distribution

f (x) = c xc-1e-x / (c), x0

chi-square
distribution

f (x) = xk/2-1e-x/2 / ( 2k/2

(k/2) )

Q3
x
s2

sample median
lower / first quartile

sample variance

s
zx
X~
2

gamma(c, )
2(k)
F (k1, k2)

F distribution

Bin(n,p)

binomial distribution f (k) = nCk pk(1-p)n-k

Poisson()
Geom(p)
HG(N,K,n)
Bern(p)

cov(X,Y) = 4
corr(X,Y) = 3
X,Y = 3

s=2

Poisson distribution f (k) = ke- / k!

geometric
distribution
hyper-geometric
distribution
Bernoulli
distribution

f (k) = p (1-p) k

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Combinatorics Symbols
Symbol

n!
nPk

Symbol Name

Meaning / definition

n! = 123...n

factorial

Example

5! = 12345 = 120

permutation

5P3 = 5! / (5-3)! = 60

combination

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

n Ck

Set theory symbols

Symbol

{}
AB
AB
AB
AB
AB
AB
AB
AB
2A
(A)
A=B
Ac

Symbol Name

set
intersection
union
subset
proper subset / strict
subset
not subset
superset
proper superset /
strict superset
not superset

Meaning / definition

a collection of elements

A={3,7,9,14}, B={9,14,28}

objects that belong to set A

and set B
objects that belong to set A
or set B
subset has less elements or
equal to the set
subset has less elements
than the set
left set not a subset of right
set
set A has more elements or
equal to the set B
set A has more elements
than set B
set A is not a superset of set
B

A B = {9,14}

power set

all subsets of A

power set

all subsets of A

equality
complement

Example

A B = {3,7,9,14,28}
{9,14,28} {9,14,28}
{9,14} {9,14,28}
{9,66} {9,14,28}
{9,14,28} {9,14,28}
{9,14,28} {9,14}
{9,14,28} {9,66}

both sets have the same

members
all the objects that do not
belong to set A

A={3,9,14}, B={3,9,14}, A=B

A={3,9,14},
A-B={9,14}
A={3,9,14},
A-B={9,14}
A={3,9,14},
B={1,2,9,14}
A={3,9,14},
B={1,2,9,14}

B={1,2,3},

A\B

relative complement

objects that belong to A and

not to B

A-B

relative complement

objects that belong to A and

not to B

AB

symmetric difference

objects that belong to A or B

but not to their intersection

AB

symmetric difference

objects that belong to A or B

but not to their intersection

aA
xA
(a,b)
AB

element of

set membership

A={3,9,14}, 3 A

not element of

no set membership

A={3,9,14}, 1 A

ordered pair

collection of 2 elements

|A|

cardinality

#A

U
0

cardinality

cartesian product

set of all ordered pairs from

A and B
the number of elements of
set A
the number of elements of
set A

aleph

infinite cardinality

empty set

={}

universal set

set of all possible values

natural numbers set

(with zero)

0 = {0,1,2,3,4,...}

B={1,2,3},
B={1,2,3}, A
B={1,2,3}, A

A={3,9,14}, |A|=3
A={3,9,14}, #A=3

C = {}
0 0

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natural numbers set

(without zero)

1 = {1,2,3,4,5,...}

6 1

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 set

= {z | z=a+bi,
-<a<,
-<b<}

6+2i

Logic symbols
Symbol

^
&
+

|
x'
x

Symbol Name

Meaning / definition

Example

and

and

xy

caret / circumflex

and

x^y

ampersand

and

x&y

plus

or

x+y

reversed caret

or

xy

vertical line

or

x|y

single quote

not - negation

x'

bar

not - negation

not

not - negation

exclamation mark

not - negation

!x

circled plus / oplus

exclusive or - xor

xy

tilde

negation

~x

implies
equivalent

if and only if

for all
there exists
there does not
exists
therefore
because / since

Calculus & analysis symbols

Symbol

e
y'
y ''
y(n)

Symbol Name

Meaning / definition

Example

limit

limit value of a function

epsilon

represents a very small number,

near zero

e constant / Euler's
number

e = 2.718281828...

e = lim (1+1/x)x , x

derivative

derivative - Leibniz's notation

(3x3)' = 9x2

second derivative

derivative of derivative

(3x3)'' = 18x

nth derivative

n times derivation

(3x3)(3) = 18

derivative

derivative - Lagrange's notation

d(3x3)/dx = 9x2

second derivative

derivative of derivative

d2(3x3)/dx2 = 18x

nth derivative

n times derivation

time derivative

derivative by time - Newton

notation

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time second derivative

derivative of derivative

(x2+y2)/x = 2x

partial derivative

integral

opposite to derivation
integration of function of 2
variables
integration of function of 3
variables

double integral

[a,b]
(a,b)
i
z*
z

triple integral
closed contour / line
integral
closed surface integral
closed volume integral
closed interval

[a,b] = {x | a x b}

open interval

(a,b) = {x | a < x < b}

imaginary unit

i -1

z = 3 + 2i

complex conjugate

z = a+bi z*=a-bi

z* = 3 + 2i

complex conjugate

z = a+bi z = a-bi

z = 3 + 2i

nabla / del

gradient / divergence 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() = {f (t)}

delta function

Numeral symbols
Name
zero
one
two
three
four
five
six
seven
eight
nine
ten
eleven
twelve
thirteen
fourteen
fifteen
sixteen
seventeen
eighteen
nineteen
twenty
thirty
fourty
fifty

European

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
30
40
50

Roman

I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X
XI
XII
XIII
XIV
XV
XVI
XVII
XVIII
XIX
XX
XXX
XL
L

Hindu Arabic

Hebrew

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60
70
80
90
100

sixty
seventy
eighty
ninety
one hundred

LX
LXX
LXXX
XC
C

Greek alphabet letters

Greek Symbol
Upper Case
Lower Case

Greek Letter Name

English Equivalent

Pronunciation

Alpha

al-fa

Beta

be-ta

Gamma

ga-ma

Delta

del-ta

Epsilon

ep-si-lon

Zeta

ze-ta

Eta

eh-ta

Theta

th

te-ta

Iota

io-ta

Kappa

ka-pa

Lambda

lam-da

Mu

m-yoo

Nu

noo

Xi

x-ee

Omicron

o-mee-c-ron

Pi

pa-yee

Rho

row

Sigma

sig-ma

Tau

ta-oo

Upsilon

oo-psi-lon

Phi

ph

f-ee

Chi

ch

kh-ee

Psi

ps

p-see

Omega

o-me-ga

Roman numerals
Number

Roman numeral

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X

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11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
5000
10000
50000
100000
500000
1000000

XI
XII
XIII
XIV
XV
XVI
XVII
XVIII
XIX
XX
XXX
XL
L
LX
LXX
LXXX
XC
C
CC
CCC
CD
D
DC
DCC
DCCC
CM
M
V
X
L
C
D
M

See also
Algebra symbols
Geometry symbols
Statistical symbols
Logic symbols
Set theory symbols
Calculus & analysis symbols
Number symbols
Greek alphabet symbols
Roman numerals
Math calculators

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