Symbol Name in
Symbol Maths Math Symbols Meaning Example
≠ not equal sign inequality 10 ≠ 6
= equal sign equality 3=1+2
< strict inequality less than 7 < 10
> strict inequality greater than 6>2
≤ inequality less than or equal to x ≤ y, means, y = x or y > x, but not vice-
versa.
≥ inequality greater than or equal to a ≥ b, means, a = b or a > b, but vice-versa
does not hold true.
[] brackets calculate expression inside first [ 2×5] + 7 = 10 + 7 = 17
() parentheses calculate expression inside first 3 × (3 + 7) = 3 × 10 = 30
− minus sign subtraction 5−2=3
+ plus sign addition 4+5=9
∓ minus – plus both minus and plus operations 1 ∓ 4 = -3 and 5
± plus – minus both plus and minus operations 5 ± 3 = 8 and 2
× times sign multiplication 4 × 3 = 12
* asterisk multiplication 2*3=6
Symbol Name in
Symbol Maths Math Symbols Meaning Example
÷ division sign / obelus division 15 ÷ 5 = 3
∙ multiplication dot multiplication 2∙3=6
– horizontal line division / fraction 8/2 = 4
/ division slash division 6⁄2=3
mod modulo remainder calculation 7 mod 3 = 1
ab power exponent 24 = 16
. period decimal point, decimal separator 4.36 = 4 +(36/100)
√a square root √a · √a = a √9 = ±3
a^b caret exponent 2^3=8
4
√a fourth root √a ·4√a · 4√a · 4√a = a
4 4
√16= ± 2
3
√a cube root √a ·3√a · 3√a = a
3 3
√343 = 7
% percent 1% = 1/100 10% × 30 = 3
n
√a n-th root (radical) √a · n√a · · · n times = a
n
for n=3, n√8 = 2
ppm per-million 1 ppm = 1/1000000 10ppm × 30 = 0.0003
‰ per-mille 1‰ = 1/1000 = 0.1% 10‰ × 30 = 0.3
Symbol Name in
Symbol Maths Math Symbols Meaning Example
ppt per-trillion 1ppt = 10-12 10ppt × 30 = 3×10-10
ppb per-billion 1 ppb = 1/1000000000 10 ppb × 30 = 3×10-7
Maths Logic symbols With Meaning
Symbol Name in
Symbol Maths Math Symbols Meaning Example
^ caret / circumflex and x^y
· and and x·y
+ plus or x+y
& ampersand and x&y
| vertical line or x|y
∨ reversed caret or x∨y
X̄ bar not – negation x̄
x’ single-quote not – negation x’
! Exclamation mark not – negation !x
¬ not not – negation ¬x
~ tilde negation ~x
⊕ circled plus / oplus exclusive or – xor x⊕y
⇔ equivalent if and only if (iff) p: this year has 366 days
q: this is a leap year
p⇔q
Symbol Name in
Symbol Maths Math Symbols Meaning Example
⇒ implies Implication p: a number is a multiple of 4
q: the number is even
p⇒q
∈ Belong to/is an element Set membership A = {1, 2, 3}
of 2∈A
∉ Not element of Negation of set membership A={1, 2, 3}
0∉A
∀ for all Universal Quantifier 2n is even ∀ n ∈ N
where N is a set of Natural
Numbers
↔ equivalent if and only if (iff) p: x is an even number
q: x is divisible by 2
p↔q
∄ there does not exist Negation of existential quantifier b is not divisible by a, then ∄ n
∈ N such that b = na
∃ there exists Existential quantifier b is divisible by a, then ∃ n ∈ N such
that b = na
∵ because / since Because shorthand a = b, b = c
⇒ a = c (∵ a = b)
∴ therefore Therefore shorthand (Logical x + 6 = 10
consequence)
∴x=4
Calculus and Analysis Symbol Names in Maths
Symbol Name in
Symbol Maths Math Symbols Meaning Example
ε epsilon represents a very small number, ε→0
near-zero
Symbol Name in
Symbol Maths Math Symbols Meaning Example
limx→a limit limit value of a function limx→a(3x+1)= 3 × a + 1 = 3a + 1
y‘ derivative derivative – Lagrange’s (5x3)’ = 15x2
notation
e e constant / e = 2.718281828… e = lim (1+1/x)x , x→∞
Euler’s number
y(n) nth derivative n times derivation nth derivative of 3xn = 3 n (n-1)(n-2)….(2)
(1)= 3n!
y” second derivative derivative of derivative (4x3)” = 24x
�2���2 second derivative derivative of derivative �2��2(6�3+�2+3�+1)=36�+1
dy/dx derivative derivative – Leibniz’s notation ���(5�)=5
������ nth derivative n times derivation ������(��)=�!
�¨=�2���2 Second derivative derivative of derivative If y = 4t2, then
of time
�¨=�2���2=4�2��2(�2)=8
�˙ Single derivative derivative by time – Newton’s y = 5t, then
of time notation �˙=����=5���(�)=5
D2x second derivative derivative of derivative y” + 2y + 1 = 0
⇒ D2y + 2Dy + 1 = 0
Dx derivative derivative – Euler’s notation dy/x – 1 = 0
⇒ Dy – 1 = 0
∫ integral opposite to derivation ∫xn dx = xn + 1/n + 1 + C
��(�,�)�� partial derivative Differentiating a function with ∂(x2+y2)/∂x = 2x
respect to one variable
Symbol Name in
Symbol Maths Math Symbols Meaning Example
considering the other variables
as constant
∭ triple integral integration of the function of 3 ∫12∫23∫01(���)������
variables
∬ double integral integration of the function of 2 ∬(x3+y3)dx dy
variables
∯ closed surface Double integral over a closed ∭V (⛛.F)dV = ∯S (F.n̂) dS
integral surface
∮ closed contour / Line integral over closed curve ∮C 2/z dz
line integral
[a,b] closed interval [a,b] = {x | a ≤ x ≤ b} sin x ∈ [ – 1, 1]
∰ closed volume Volume integral over a closed ∰ (x2 + y2 + z2) dx dy dz
integral three-dimensional domain
(a,b) open interval (a,b) = {x | a < x < b} f is continuous within (0, 1)
z* complex z = a+bi → z*=a-bi If z = 3 + 2i then z* = 3 – 2i
conjugate
i imaginary unit i ≡ √-1 z = 3 + 2i
∇ nabla / del gradient / divergence operator ∇f (x,y,z)
�→ vector A quantity with magnitude and �→=��^+��^+��^
direction
x*y convolution Modification in a function due y(t) = x(t) * h(t)
to the other function.
∞ lemniscate infinity symbol 3x ≥ 0; x ∈ (0, ∞)
δ delta function Dirac Delta function
Combinatorics Symbols Used in Maths
Symbol Symbol Name Meaning or Definition Example
n
Pk Permutation ���=�!(�−�)! 5�3=5!(5−3)!=60
n! Factorial n! = 1×2×3×…×n 5! = 1×2×3×4×5 = 120
n
Ck Combination ���=�!�!(�−�)!
Greek Alphabet Letters Used in Maths
Greek Symbol
Greek Letter Name English Equivalent Pronunciation
Upper Case Lower Case
Β β Beta b be-ta
Α α Alpha a al-fa
Δ δ Delta d del-ta
Γ γ Gamma g ga-ma
Ζ ζ Zeta z ze-ta
Ε ε Epsilon e ep-si-lon
Θ θ Theta th te-ta
Η η Eta h eh-ta
Κ κ Kappa k ka-pa
Greek Symbol
Greek Letter Name English Equivalent Pronunciation
Ι ι Iota i io-ta
Μ μ Mu m m-yoo
Λ λ Lambda l lam-da
Ξ ξ Xi x x-ee
Ν ν Nu n noo
Ο ο Omicron o o-mee-c-ron
Π π Pi p pa-yee
Σ σ Sigma s sig-ma
Ρ ρ Rho r row
Υ υ Upsilon u oo-psi-lon
Τ τ Tau t ta-oo
Χ χ Chi ch kh-ee
Φ φ Phi ph f-ee
Ω ω Omega o o-me-ga
Ψ ψ Psi ps p-see
Common Numeral Symbols Used in Maths
Name European Roman Arabic Hebrew
zero 0 n/a 0 n/a
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 ١٠ י
eleven 11 XI ١١ יא
twelve 12 XII ١٢ יב
thirteen 13 XIII ١٣ יג
fourteen 14 XIV ١٤ יד
Name European Roman Arabic Hebrew
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
