Symbol Meaning Introduced by Year

∞∞ infinity J. Wallis 1655

base of the natural
ee logarithms
L. Euler 1736

ratio of the length of

ππ a circumference to W. Jones 1706
the diameter
1777
ii square toot of −1−1 L. Euler (pubbl.
1794)
i,j,ki,j,k unit vectors W. Hamilton 1853
Π(α)Π(α) angle of parallelism N.I. Lobachevskii 1835
Unknown or variable
x,y,zx,y,z quantities
R. Descartes 1637

v⃗ v→ vector A.L. Cauchy 1853

German end of
+,−+,− addition, subtraction
mathematicians XV cent.
×× multiplication W. Oughtred 1631
⋅⋅ multiplication G. Leibniz 1698
:: division G. Leibniz 1684
a2,…,ana2,…,an powers R. Descartes 1637
√ square root K. Rudolff 1525
√nn roots A. Girard 1629
LogLog logarithm J. Kepler 1624
loglog logarithm B. Cavalieri 1632
sinsin sine L. Euler 1748
coscos cosine L. Euler 1748
tgtg tangent L. Euler 1753
tantan tangent L. Euler 1753
arcsinarcsin arcsine J. Lagrange 1772
ShSh hyperbolic sine V. Riccati 1757
ChCh hyperbolic cosine V. Riccati 1757
 1675
dx,ddx,d2x,d3x,…dx,ddx,d2x,d3x,… differentials G. Leibniz (publ.
1684)
1675
∫ydx∫ydx integral G. Leibniz (publ.
1684)
ddxddx derivative G. Leibniz 1675
1770-
f′,y′,f′xf′,y′,f′x derivative J. Lagrange
1779
ΔxΔx difference, increment L. Euler 1755
∂∂x∂∂x partial derivative A. Legendre 1786
1819-
∫baf(x)dx∫abf(x)dx definite integral J. Fourier
1820
∑∑ sum L. Euler 1755
∏∏ product C.F. Gauss 1812
!! factorial Ch. Kramp 1808
|x||x| absolute value K. Weierstrass 1841
limlim limit S. l'Huillier 1786
limn=∞limn=∞ limit W. Hamilton 1853
beg. of
various
limn→∞limn→∞ limit
mathematicians
20th
cent.
ζζ zeta-function B. Riemann 1857
ΓΓ gamma-function A. Legendre 1808
BB beta-function J. Binet 1839
ΔΔ Laplace operator R. Murphy 1833
nabla, Hamilton
∇∇ operator
W. Hamilton 1853

ϕxϕx function J. Bernoulli 1718

fxfx function L. Euler 1734
== equality R. Recorde 1557
greater than, smaller
>,<>,< than
T. Harriot 1631

≡≡ congruence C.F. Gauss 1801

|||| parallel W. Oughtred 1677
 (post.
publ.)
⊥⊥ perpendicular P. Hérigone 1634