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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

Symbo
Symbol Name Meaning / definition Example
l

5 = 2+3
= equals sign equality
5 is equal to 2+3

54
not equal sign inequality
5 is not equal to 4

sin(0.01) 0.01,
approximately
equal
approximation x y means x is 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,
inequality greater than or equal to x y means x is greater than or
equal to y
inequality less than or equal to 4 5,

x y means x is greater than or
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equal to y
calculate expression inside
() parentheses
first
2 (3+5) = 16

calculate expression inside

[] brackets
first
[(1+2)(1+5)] = 18

+ plus sign addition 1+1=2

minus sign subtraction 21=1

both plus and minus

plus - minus
operations
3 5 = 8 and -2

both minus and plus

minus - 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

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 3a 3a = a 3
8 = 2
4
a fourth root 4
a 4a 4a 4a = a 4
16 = 2
n
a n-th root (radical) for n=3, n8 = 2
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% 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 = 310-7
ppt per-trillion 1ppt = 10-12 10ppt 30 = 310-10

Geometry symbols
Symbo
Symbol Name Meaning / definition Example
l

angle formed by two rays ABC = 30

measured
angle ABC = 30

spherical angle AOB = 30

right angle = 90 = 90

degree 1 turn = 360 = 60

deg degree 1 turn = 360deg = 60deg

prime arcminute, 1 = 60 = 6059

double prime arcsecond, 1 = 60 = 605959

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

ABC
congruent to equivalence of geometric shapes and size
XYZ
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~ similarity same shapes, not same size ABC~ XYZ

ABC
triangle triangle shape
BCD

|x-y| distance distance between points x and y | x-y | = 5

= 3.141592654...
pi constant is the ratio between the circumference and diameter of a c = d = 2r
circle

rad radians radians angle unit 360 = 2 rad

c
radians radians angle unit 360 = 2 c
360 = 400
grad gradians / gons grads angle unit
grad
g
gradians / gons grads angle unit 360 = 400 g

Algebra symbols
Symbo
Symbol Name Meaning / definition Example
l

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
() parentheses
inside first
2 * (3+5) = 16

brackets calculate expression [(1+2)*(1+5)] = 18

[]
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inside first

{} braces set

rounds number to lower

x floor brackets
integer
4.3 = 4

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)
(f g) function composition (f g) (x) = f (g(x))
(x)=3(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 = 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=x1x2...xn

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

Euler-Mascheroni
constant
= 0.527721566...

golden ratio golden ratio constant

= 3.141592654...
is the ratio between the
pi constant
circumference and diameter
c = d = 2r
of a circle

Linear Algebra Symbols

Symbol Symbol Name Meaning / definition Example

dot scalar product ab

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cross vector product ab

AB tensor product tensor product of A and B AB
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

probability
P(A) function
probability of event A P(A) = 0.5

probability of
probability that of events
P(A B) events
A and B
P(AB) = 0.5
intersection

probability of probability that of events

P(A B) events union A or B
P(AB) = 0.5

conditional
probability of event A
P(A | B) probability
given event B occured
P(A | B) = 0.3
function

probability P(a x b) =
f (x) density function f (x) dx
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(pdf)

cumulative
F(x) distribution F(x) = P(X x)
function (cdf)

mean of population
population mean
values
= 10

expected value of
E(X) expectation value
random variable X
E(X) = 10

expected value of
conditional
E(X | Y) expectation
random variable X given E(X | Y=2) = 5
Y

variance of random
var(X) variance
variable X
var(X) = 4

variance of population
2 variance
values
2 = 4

standard standard deviation of

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

standard standard deviation value

X deviation of random variable X
X = 2

middle value of random

median
variable x

covariance of random
cov(X,Y) covariance
variables X and Y
cov(X,Y) = 4

corr(X,Y correlation
correlation of random
corr(X,Y) = 0.6
variables X and Y
)
correlation of random
X,Y correlation
variables X and Y
X,Y = 0.6

summation - sum of all

summation
values in range of series

double
summation
double summation

value that occurs most

Mo mode
frequently in population

MR mid-range MR = (xmax+xmin)/2

half the population is

Md sample median
below this value
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lower / first 25% of population are

Q1 quartile below this value

50% of population are

median / second
Q2 quartile
below this value =
median of samples

upper / third 75% of population are

Q3 quartile below this value

average / arithmetic
x sample mean
mean
x = (2+5+9) / 3 = 5.333

population samples
s2 sample variance
variance estimator
s2 = 4

population samples
sample standard
s deviation
standard deviation s=2
estimator

zx standard score zx = (x-x) / sx

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

normal
N(,2) distribution
gaussian distribution X ~ N(0,3)

uniform equal probability in

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

exponential
exp() distribution
f (x) = e-x , x0

gamma f (x) = c xc-1e-x /

gamma(c, ) distribution
(c), x0

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

2(k) distribution ( 2k/2 (k/2) )

F (k1, k2) F distribution

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

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

geometric
Geom(p) distribution
f (k) = p(1-p) k

hyper-geometric
HG(N,K,n) distribution

Bern(p) Bernoulli
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distribution

Combinatorics Symbols
Symbol Symbol Name Meaning / definition Example

n! factorial n! = 123...n 5! = 12345 = 120

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

n Ck
combination 5 C3 = 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 set B
A B = {9,14}

objects that belong to set A or set A B =

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

subset has fewer elements or {9,14,28}

A B subset 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}

{9,66}
A B not subset left set not a subset of right set
{9,14,28}

set A has more elements or equal {9,14,28}

A B superset to the set B {9,14,28}

proper superset / strict set A has more elements than set {9,14,28}
A B superset B {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

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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 belong
Ac complement
to set A

A = {3,9,14},
objects that belong to A and not
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 to B
B = {1,2,3},
A-B = {9,14}

A = {3,9,14},
objects that belong to A or B but B = {1,2,3},
A B symmetric difference not to their intersection AB=
{1,2,9,14}

A = {3,9,14},
objects that belong to A or B but B = {1,2,3},
A B symmetric difference not to their intersection AB=
{1,2,9,14}

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

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

(a,b) ordered pair collection of 2 elements

set of all ordered pairs from A

AB cartesian product
and B

A={3,9,14}, |A|
|A| cardinality the number of elements of set 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
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empty set ={} C = {}

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

= {z | z=a+bi, -<a<,
complex numbers set 6+2i
-<b<}

Logic symbols
Symbol 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

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 xy

~ tilde negation ~x
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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 number,

epsilon
near zero
0

e constant / Euler's e = lim

e number
e = 2.718281828...
(1+1/x)x , x

y' derivative derivative - Lagrange's notation (3x3)' = 9x2

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

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

derivative derivative - Leibniz's notation d(3x3)/dx = 9x2

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

nth derivative n times derivation

derivative by time - Newton's

time derivative
notation
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time second
derivative of derivative
derivative

Dx y derivative derivative - Euler's notation

D x2 y second derivative derivative of derivative

partial derivative (x2+y2)/x = 2x

integral opposite to derivation f(x)dx

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

integration of function of 3
triple integral
variables
f(x,y,z)dxdydz

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

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)}
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delta function

lemniscate infinity symbol

Numeral symbols
Name European Roman Hindu Arabic Hebrew

zero 0

one 1 I

two 2 II

three 3 III

four 4 IV

five 5 V

six 6 VI

seven 7 VII

eight 8 VIII

nine 9 IX

ten 10 X

eleven 11 XI

twelve 12 XII

thirteen 13 XIII

fourteen 14 XIV

fifteen 15 XV

sixteen 16 XVI

seventeen 17 XVII

eighteen 18 XVIII

nineteen 19 XIX
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twenty 20 XX

thirty 30 XXX

forty 40 XL

fifty 50 L

sixty 60 LX

seventy 70 LXX

eighty 80 LXXX

ninety 90 XC

one hundred 100 C

Greek alphabet letters

Greek Symbol
Greek Letter Name English Equivalent Pronunciation
Upper Case Lower Case

Alpha a al-fa

Beta b be-ta

Gamma g ga-ma

Delta d del-ta

Epsilon e ep-si-lon

Zeta z ze-ta

Eta h eh-ta

Theta th te-ta

Iota i io-ta

Kappa k ka-pa

Lambda l lam-da
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Mu m m-yoo

Nu n noo

Xi x x-ee

Omicron o o-mee-c-ron

Pi p pa-yee

Rho r row

Sigma s sig-ma

Tau t ta-oo

Upsilon u oo-psi-lon

Phi ph f-ee

Chi ch kh-ee

Psi ps p-see

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
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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
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700 DCC

800 DCCC

900 CM

1000 M

5000 V

10000 X

50000 L

100000 C

500000 D

1000000 M