Chandan Mandal 11.April-2016.

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 5≠4
> strict inequality greater than 5>4
< strict inequality less than 4<5
≥ inequality greater than or equal to 5≥4
≤ inequality less than or equal to 4≤5
() 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 2−1=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 2×3=6
∙ multiplication dot multiplication 2∙3=6
÷ division sign / obelus division 6÷2=3
/ division slash division 6/2=3

– horizontal line division / fraction

mod modulo remainder calculation 7 mod 2 = 1

. period decimal point, decimal 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 · √a · √a = a
3 3 3
√8 = 2
4
√a fourth root 4
√a · √a · √a · √a = a
4 4 4 4
√16 = ±2
n
√a n-th root (radical) for n=3, n√8 = 2
% percent 1% = 1/100 10% × 30 = 3
‰ 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 = 3×10-7
ppt per-trillion 1ppt = 10-12 10ppt × 30 = 3×10-10

Geometry symbols
Symbol Symbol Name Meaning / definition Example
∠ angle formed by two rays ∠ABC = 30º
measured angle ABC = 30º
spherical angle AOB = 30º
∟ right angle = 90º α = 90º
º degree 1 turn = 360º α = 60º
´ arcminute 1º = 60´ α = 60º59'
´´ arcsecond 1´ = 60´´ α = 60º59'59''

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 = 60º

| perpendicular perpendicular lines (90º 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
Γ triangle triangle shape ΓABC ≅ ΓBCD
|x-y| distance distance between points x and y | x-y | = 5
π = 3.141592654...
π pi constant c = π·d = 2·π·r
is the ratio between the circumference and diameter of a circle
rad radians radians angle unit 360º = 2π rad
grad grads grads angle unit 360º = 400 grad

Algebra symbols
Symbol Symbol Name Meaning / definition Example
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
∝ proportional to proportional to y ∝ x when y = kx, k constant
∞ lemniscate infinity symbol

≪ much less than much less than 1 ≪ 1000000

≫ much greater than much greater than 1000000 ≫ 1
calculate expression inside
() parentheses 2 * (3+5) = 16
first
calculate expression inside
[] brackets [(1+2)*(1+5)] = 18
first
{} braces set
rounds number to lower
⌊x⌋ floor brackets ⌊4.3⌋ 4
integer
rounds number to upper
⌈x⌉ ceiling brackets
integer ⌈4.3⌉ 5
x! exclamation mark factorial 4! = 1*2*3*4 = 24
|x| single vertical bar absolute value | -5 | = 5
f (x) function of x maps values of x to f(x) f (x) = 3x+5
f (x)=3x, g(x)=x-1 ⇒(f ∘g)(x)=3(x-
(f ∘g) function composition (f ∘g) (x) = f (g(x)) 1)
(a,b) open interval (a,b) = {x | a < x < b} x ∈ (2,6)
[a,b] closed interval [a,b] = {x | a ≤ x ≤ b} x ∈ [2,6]
∆ delta change / difference ∆t = t1 - t0
∆ discriminant Γ = b2 - 4ac
summation - sum of all
∑ sigma ∑ xi= x1+x2+...+xn
values in range of series

∑∑ sigma double summation

product - product of all

∏ capital pi ∏ xi=x1·x2·...·xn
values in range of series
e constant / Euler's
e e = 2.718281828... e = lim (1+1/x)x , x→∞
number
Euler-
γ γ = 0.527721566...
Mascheroni constant
θ golden ratio golden ratio constant
π = 3.141592654...
π pi constant is the ratio between the c = π·d = 2·π·r
circumference and diameter of a
circle

Linear Algebra Symbols

Symbol Symbol Name Meaning / definition Example
∙ 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
|| x || double vertical bars norm
AT transpose matrix transpose (AT)ij = (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) dimension dimension of matrix A rank(U) = 3
Probability and statistics symbols
Symbol Symbol Name Meaning / definition Example
P(A) probability function probability of event A P(A) = 0.5
probability of events probability that of events A
P(A ∩ B) P(A∩B) = 0.5
intersection and B
probability of events probability that of events A or
P(A ∪ B) union B P(A∪B) = 0.5
conditional probability of event A given
P(A | B) P(A | B) = 0.3
probability function event B occured
probability density
f (x) P(a ≤ x ≤ b) = ∫ f (x) dx
function (pdf)
cumulative
F(x) distribution function F(x) = P(X ≤ x)
(cdf)
μ population mean mean of population values μ = 10
expected value of random
E(X) expectation value E(X) = 10
variable X
conditional expected value of random
E(X | Y) E(X | Y=2) = 5
expectation variable X given Y
variance of random variable
var(X) variance var(X) = 4
X
ζ2 variance variance of population values ζ2 = 4
standard deviation of random
std(X) standard deviation std(X) = 2
variable X
standard deviation value of
ζX standard deviation ζX = 2
random variable X
middle value of random
median
variable x
covariance of random
cov(X,Y) covariance cov(X,Y) = 4
variables X and Y
correlation of random
corr(X,Y) correlation corr(X,Y) = 0.6
variables X and Y
correlation of random
ρX,Y correlation ρX,Y = 0.6
variables X and Y
summation - sum of all values
∑ summation
in range of series

∑∑ double summation double summation

Mo mode value that occurs most

 frequently in population
MR mid-range MR = (xmax+xmin)/2
half the population is below
Md sample median
this value
25% of population are below
Q1 lower / first quartile
this value
50% of population are below
median / second
Q2 this value = median of
quartile
samples
75% of population are below
Q3 upper / third quartile
this value
x sample mean average / arithmetic mean x = (2+5+9) / 3 = 5.333
population samples variance
s2 sample variance s2=4
estimator
sample standard population samples standard
s s=2
deviation deviation estimator
zx standard score zx = (x-x) / sx
distribution of random
X~ distribution of X X ~ N(0,3)
variable X
N(μ,ζ2) normal distribution gaussian distribution X ~ N(0,3)
U(a,b) uniform distribution equal probability in range a,b X ~ U(0,3)
exponential
exp(ι) f (x) = λe-λx , x≥0
distribution
gamma(c,
gamma distribution f (x) = λ c xc-1e-λx / Γ(c), x≥0
ι)
chi-square
χ 2(k) f (x) = xk/2-1e-x/2 / ( 2k/2 Γ(k/2) )
distribution
F (k1, k2) F distribution
Bin(n,p) binomial distribution f (k) = nCk pk(1-p)n-k
Poisson(ι) Poisson distribution f (k) = λke-λ / k!
geometric
Geom(p) f (k) = p (1-p) k
distribution
hyper-geometric
HG(N,K,n)
distribution
Bernoulli
Bern(p)
distribution

Combinatorics Symbols
Symbol Symbol Name Meaning / definition Example
n! factorial n! = 1·2·3·...·n 5! = 1·2·3·4·5 = 120
nPk permutation 5P3 = 5! / (5-3)! = 60

n Ck

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

Set theory symbols

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

union
objects that belong to set A or A∪ B=
A∪ B set B {3,7,9,14,28}

subset
subset has fewer elements or {9,14,28} ⊆
A⊆ B equal to the set {9,14,28}
subset has fewer elements than {9,14} ⊂
A⊂ B proper subset / strict subset
the set {9,14,28}

A⊄ B not subset left set not a subset of right set {9,66} ⊄

{9,14,28}

superset
set A has more elements or {9,14,28} ⊇
A⊇ B equal to the set B {9,14,28}
proper superset / strict set A has more elements than {9,14,28} ⊃
A⊃ B superset set B {9,14}

not superset set A is not a superset of set B {9,14,28} ⊅

A⊅ 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 B={3,9,14},
members
A=B
all the objects that do not
Ac complement
belong to set A
objects that belong to A and not A = {3,9,14},
A\B relative complement
to B B = {1,2,3},
 A-B = {9,14}
A = {3,9,14},
objects that belong to A and not
A-B relative complement B = {1,2,3},
to B
A-B = {9,14}
A = {3,9,14},
objects that belong to A or B B = {1,2,3},
A∆B symmetric difference
but not to their intersection A∆B=
{1,2,9,14}
A = {3,9,14},
objects that belong to A or B B = {1,2,3},
A⊖ B symmetric difference
but not to their intersection A⊖ B=
{1,2,9,14}

element of set membership A={3,9,14}, 3 ∈

a∈A A

not element of no set membership A={3,9,14}, 1 ∉

x∉A A
(a,b) ordered pair collection of 2 elements
set of all ordered pairs from A
A×B cartesian product
and B
A={3,9,14},
|A| cardinality the number of elements of set A
|A|=3
A={3,9,14},
#A cardinality the number of elements of set A
#A=3
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 / whole
0
numbers set (with zero) 0= {0,1,2,3,4,...} 0∈ 0

natural numbers / whole

1
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 Symbol Name Meaning / definition Example
· 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
∵ because / since

Calculus & analysis symbols

Symbol Symbol Name Meaning / definition Example
limit limit value of a function
represents a very small
ε epsilon ε→0
number, near zero
e constant / Euler's
e e = 2.718281828... e = lim (1+1/x)x , x→∞
number
derivative - Lagrange's
y' derivative (3x3)' = 9x2
notation
y '' second derivative derivative of derivative (3x3)'' = 18x
y(n) nth derivative n times derivation (3x3)(3) = 18
 derivative - Leibniz's
derivative d(3x3)/dx = 9x2
notation

second derivative derivative of derivative d2(3x3)/dx2 = 18x

nth derivative n times derivation

derivative by time -
time derivative
Newton's notation
time second
derivative of derivative
derivative
derivative - Euler's
Dx y derivative
notation
Dx2 y second derivative derivative of derivative

partial derivative ∂(x2+y2)/∂x = 2x

∫ integral opposite to derivation

integration of function of
∫ double integral
2 variables
integration of function of
∬ triple integral
3 variables
closed contour /
∭ line integral
closed surface
∮ integral
closed volume
∯ integral
[a,b] closed interval [a,b] = {x | a ≤ x ≤ b}
(a,b) open interval (a,b) = {x | a < x < 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
gradient / divergence
∇ nabla / del ∇f (x,y,z)
operator
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 European Roman Hindu Arabic Hebrew
zero 0 ٠
one 1 I ١ ‫א‬
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 ٠١ ‫י‬
eleven 11 XI ١١ ‫יא‬
twelve 12 XII ٢١ ‫יב‬
thirteen 13 XIII ٣١ ‫יג‬
fourteen 14 XIV ٤١ ‫יד‬
fifteen 15 XV ٥١ ‫טו‬
sixteen 16 XVI ٦١ ‫טז‬
seventeen 17 XVII ٧١ ‫יז‬
eighteen 18 XVIII ٨١ ‫יח‬
nineteen 19 XIX ٩١ ‫יט‬
twenty 20 XX ٠٢ ‫כ‬
thirty 30 XXX ٠٣ ‫ל‬
fourty 40 XL ٠٤ ‫מ‬
fifty 50 L ٠٥ ‫נ‬
sixty 60 LX ٠٦ ‫ס‬
seventy 70 LXX ٠٧ ‫ע‬
eighty 80 LXXX ٠٨ ‫פ‬
ninety 90 XC ٠٩ ‫צ‬
one hundred 100 C ٠٠١ ‫ק‬
Greek alphabet letters
Greek Symbol
Greek Letter Name English Equivalent Pronunciation
Upper Case Lower Case
Α α Alpha a al-fa
Β β Beta b be-ta
Γ γ Gamma g ga-ma
Γ δ Delta d del-ta
Δ ε Epsilon e ep-si-lon
Ε δ Zeta z ze-ta
Ζ ε Eta h eh-ta
Θ ζ Theta th te-ta
Η η Iota i io-ta
Κ θ Kappa k ka-pa
Λ ι Lambda l lam-da
Μ κ Mu m m-yoo
Ν λ Nu n noo
Ξ μ Xi x x-ee
Ο ν Omicron o o-mee-c-ron
Π π Pi p pa-yee
Ρ ξ Rho r row
΢ ζ Sigma s sig-ma
Σ η Tau t ta-oo
Τ υ Upsilon u oo-psi-lon
Φ θ Phi ph f-ee
Υ χ Chi ch kh-ee
Φ ψ Psi ps p-see
Χ 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
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