Search results
A mathematical symbol is a figure or a combination of figures that is used to represent a mathematical object, an action on mathematical objects, a relation between mathematical objects, or for structuring the other symbols that occur in a formula.
May 2, 2024 · Use this glossary of over 150 math definitions for common and important terms frequently encountered in arithmetic, geometry, and statistics.
- Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
The language of mathematics has a wide vocabulary of specialist and technical terms. It also has a certain amount of jargon: commonly used phrases which are part of the culture of mathematics, rather than of the subject.
Glossary - Mathematical words you need to know. A collection of mathematical words and their meanings. It may be useful to print these off and use them as a revision aid. Make sure you understand them all before your exam! A glossary of key mathematical words and their definitions.
- + Addition, Plus, Positive
- − Subtraction, Minus, Negative
- × Or * Or . Multiplication
- ÷ Or / Division
- = Equals
- < Less Than and > Greater Than
- ± Plus Or Minus
- ∑ Sum
- ° Degree
- ∠ Angle
The addition symbol + is usually used to indicate that two or more numbers should be added together, for example, 2 + 2. The + symbol can also be used to indicate a positive number although this is less common, for example, +2. Our page on Positive and Negative Numbersexplains that a number without a sign is considered to be positive, so the plus i...
This symbol has two main uses in mathematics: 1. − is used when one or more numbers are to be subtracted, for example, 2 − 2. 2. The − symbol is also commonly used to show a minus or negative number, such as −2.
These symbols have the same meaning; commonly × is used to mean multiplication when handwritten or used on a calculator 2 × 2, for example. The symbol * is used in spreadsheets and other computer applications to indicate a multiplication, although * does have other more complex meanings in mathematics. Less commonly, multiplication may also be symb...
These symbols are both used to mean division in mathematics. ÷ is used commonly in handwritten calculations and on calculators, for example, 2 ÷ 2. / is used in spreadsheets and other computer applications.
The = equals symbol is used to show that the values on either side of it are the same. It is most commonly used to show the result of a calculation, for example 2 + 2 = 4, or in equations, such as 2 + 3 = 10 − 5. You may also come across other related symbols, although these are less common: 1. ≠ means not equal. For example, 2 + 2 ≠5 - 2. In compu...
This symbol means greater than, for example 4 > 2. ≤ ≥These symbols mean ‘less than or equal to’ and ‘greater than or equal to’ and are commonly used in algebra. In computer applications <= and >= are used. ≪ ≫These symbols are less common and mean much less than, or much...
This symbol ± means ‘plus or minus’. It is used to indicate, for example, confidence intervals around a number. The answer is said to be ‘plus or minus’ another number, or in other words, within a range around the given answer. For example, 5 ± 2 could in practice be any number from 3 to 7.
The ∑ symbol means sum. ∑ is the Greek capital sigma character. It is used commonly in algebraic functions, and you may also notice it in Excel - the AutoSum button has a sigma as its icon.
Degrees ° are used in several different ways. 1. As a measure of rotation - the angle between the sides of a shape or the rotation of a circle. A circle is 360° and a right angle is 90°. See our section on Geometryfor more. 2. A measure of temperature. Degrees Celsius or Centigrade are used in most of the world (with the exception of the USA). Wate...
The angle symbol ∠ is used as shorthand in geometry (the study of shapes) for describing an angle. The expression ∠ABC is used to describe the angle at point B (between points A and C). Similarly, ∠BAC would be used to describe the angle of point A (between points B and C). For more on angles and other geometric terms see our pages on Geometry.
The list below has some of the most common symbols in mathematics. However, these symbols can have other meanings in different contexts other than math.
The most comprehensive glossary on the jargon of higher mathematics, featuring 106 terms from abstract nonsense to without loss of generality.
