Basic Mathematical Symbols With Name,

Meaning and Examples

The basic mathematical symbols used in Maths help us to work with

mathematical concepts in a theoretical manner. In simple words, without
symbols, we cannot do maths. The mathematical signs and symbols are
considered as representative of the value. The basic symbols in maths are
used to express mathematical thoughts. The relationship between the sign
and the value refers to the fundamental need of mathematics. With the help
of symbols, certain concepts and ideas are clearly explained. Here is a list of
commonly used mathematical symbols with names and meanings. Also, an
example is provided to understand the usage of mathematical symbols.

Sym Symbol Name Math Symbols

bol in Maths Meaning Example

≠ not equal sign inequality 10 ≠ 6

= equal sign equality 3=1+2

< strict less than 7 < 10

inequality

> strict greater than 6>2

inequality

≤ inequality less than or equal x ≤ y, means, y = x or y > x, but not

to vice-versa.

≥ inequality greater than or a ≥ b, means, a = b or a > b, but

equal to vice-versa does not hold true.

[] brackets calculate [ 2×5] + 7 = 10 + 7 = 17

 expression inside
first

() parentheses calculate 3 × (3 + 7) = 3 × 10 = 30
expression inside
first

− minus sign subtraction 5−2=3

+ plus sign addition 4+5=9

∓ minus – plus both minus and 1 ∓ 4 = -3 and 5

plus operations

± plus – minus both plus and 5 ± 3 = 8 and 2

minus operations

× times sign multiplication 4 × 3 = 12

* asterisk multiplication 2*3=6

÷ division sign / division 15 ÷ 5 = 3

obelus

∙ multiplication multiplication 2∙3=6

dot

– horizontal line division / fraction 8/2 = 4

/ division slash division 6⁄2=3

mod modulo remainder 7 mod 3 = 1

calculation

ab power exponent 24 = 16

. period decimal point, 4.36 = 4 +(36/100)

decimal separator

√a square root √a · √a = a √9 = ±3
a^b caret exponent 2^3=8

√a
4
fourth root √a ·4√a · 4√a · 4√a =
4
√16= ± 2
4

√a
3
cube root √a ·3√a · 3√a = a
3
√343 = 7
3

% percent 1% = 1/100 10% × 30 = 3

n
√a n-th root √a · n√a · · · n times
n
for n=3, n√8 = 2
(radical) =a

ppm per-million 1 ppm = 1/1000000 10ppm × 30 = 0.0003

‰ per-mille 1‰ = 1/1000 = 10‰ × 30 = 0.3

0.1%

ppt per-trillion 1ppt = 10-12 10ppt × 30 = 3×10-10

ppb per-billion 1 ppb = 10 ppb × 30 = 3×10-7

1/1000000000

Maths Logic symbols With Meaning

Symbol
Sym Name in Math Symbols
bol Maths Meaning Example

^ caret / and x^y

circumflex

· 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 not – negation !x

mark

¬ not not – negation ¬x

~ tilde negation ~x

⊕ circled plus / exclusive or – xor x⊕y

oplus

⇔ equivalent if and only if (iff) p: this year has 366 days

q: this is a leap year
p⇔q

⇒ implies Implication p: a number is a multiple of 4

q: the number is even

p⇒q

∈ Belong to/is an Set membership A = {1, 2, 3}

element of 2∈A

∉ Not element of Negation of set A={1, 2, 3}

membership 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 Negation of existential b is not divisible by a, then ∄

exist quantifier 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 x + 6 = 10

(Logical consequence) ∴x=4

Calculus and Analysis Symbol Names in

Maths

In calculus, we have come across different math symbols. All mathematical

symbols with names and meanings are provided here. Go through the all
mathematical symbols used in calculus.

Symbo
l
Name
Symb in Math Symbols
ol Maths Meaning Example

ε epsilon represents a very small ε→0

number, near-zero
limx→a limit limit value of a function limx→a(3x+1)= 3 × a + 1 = 3a + 1

y‘ derivativ derivative – Lagrange’s (5x3)’ = 15x2

e notation

e e e = 2.718281828… e = lim (1+1/x)x , x→∞

constant
/ Euler’s
number

y(n) nth n times derivation nth derivative of 3xn = 3 n (n-1)(n-

derivativ 2)….(2)(1)= 3n!
e

y” second derivative of derivative (4x3)” = 24x

derivativ
e

𝑑2𝑦𝑑 𝑑2𝑑𝑥2(6𝑥3+𝑥2+3𝑥+1)=36
𝑥2 𝑥+1
second derivative of derivative
derivativ
e

dy/dx derivativ derivative – Leibniz’s 𝑑𝑑𝑥(5𝑥)=5

e notation

𝑑𝑛𝑦𝑑 𝑑𝑛𝑥𝑑𝑥𝑛(𝑥𝑛)=𝑛!
𝑥𝑛
nth n times derivation
derivativ
e

𝑦¨=𝑑
2𝑦𝑑𝑡 𝑦¨=𝑑2𝑦𝑑𝑡2=4𝑑2𝑑𝑡2(𝑡2)=8
Second derivative of derivative If y = 4t2, then
derivativ

2
e of
time

𝑦˙
𝑦˙=𝑑𝑦𝑑𝑡=5𝑑𝑑𝑡(𝑡)=5
Single derivative by time – y = 5t, then
derivativ Newton’s notation
e of
time

D2x second derivative of derivative y” + 2y + 1 = 0

derivativ ⇒ D2y + 2Dy + 1 = 0
e
Dx derivativ derivative – Euler’s dy/x – 1 = 0
e notation ⇒ Dy – 1 = 0

∫ integral opposite to derivation ∫xn dx = xn + 1/n + 1 + C

𝜕𝑓(𝑥,
𝑦)𝜕𝑥
partial Differentiating a function ∂(x2+y2)/∂x = 2x
derivativ with respect to one
e variable considering the
other variables as
constant

∭ triple integration of the function ∫12∫23∫01(𝑥𝑦𝑧)𝑑𝑧𝑑𝑥𝑑𝑦

integral of 3 variables

∬ double integration of the function ∬(x3+y3)dx dy

integral of 2 variables

∯ closed Double integral over a ∭V (⛛.F)dV = ∯S (F.n̂) dS

surface closed surface
integral

∮ closed Line integral over closed ∮C 2/z dz

contour curve
/ line
integral

[a,b] closed [a,b] = {x | a ≤ x ≤ b} sin x ∈ [ – 1, 1]

interval

∰ closed Volume integral over a ∰ (x2 + y2 + z2) dx dy dz

volume closed three-dimensional
integral domain

(a,b) open (a,b) = {x | a < x < b} f is continuous within (0, 1)

interval

z* complex z = a+bi → z*=a-bi If z = 3 + 2i then z* = 3 – 2i

conjugat
e

i imaginar i ≡ √-1 z = 3 + 2i
 y unit

∇ nabla / gradient / divergence ∇f (x,y,z)

del operator

𝑥→ vector A quantity with magnitude 𝑉→=𝑥𝑖^+𝑦𝑗^+𝑧𝑘^

and direction

x*y convolut Modification in a function y(t) = x(t) * h(t)

ion due to the other function.

∞ lemnisca infinity symbol 3x ≥ 0; x ∈ (0, ∞)

te

δ delta Dirac Delta function 𝛿(𝑥)={0𝑖𝑓𝑥≠0∞𝑖𝑓𝑥=0

function

 Algebra Symbols
 Geometry Symbols
 Probability and Statistics Symbols
 Set Theory Symbols

Combinatorics Symbols Used in Maths

The different Combinatorics symbols used in maths concern the study of the
combination of finite discrete structures. Some of the most important
combinatorics symbols used in maths are as follows:

Symbol Symbol Name Meaning or Definition Example

n
Pk Permutation 𝑛𝑃𝑘=𝑛!(𝑛−𝑘)! 5𝑃3=5!(5−3)!=60

n! Factorial n! = 1×2×3×…×n 5! = 1×2×3×4×5 = 120

5𝐶3=5!3!(5−3)!
𝑛𝐶𝑘=𝑛!𝑘!(𝑛−𝑘)!
=10
n
Ck Combination

Greek Alphabet Letters Used in Maths

Mathematicians frequently use Greek alphabets in their work to represent

the variables, constants, functions and so on. Some of the commonly used
Greek symbols name in Maths are listed below:

Greek Symbol

Upper Lower
Case Case Greek Letter English Pronunciati
Name Equivalent on

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

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

The roman numerals are used in many applications and can be seen in our
real-life activities. The common Roman numeral symbols used in Maths are
as follows.

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

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