A Comprehensive Dictionary of Mathematical Symbols

Basic Mathematical Operations

Symbol Name Description

+ Plus Sign Denotes addition, read as "plus." For example, 3 + 2.

- Minus Sign Denotes subtraction, read as "minus." For example, 3 - 2.

× Multiplication Sign In elementary arithmetic, denotes multiplication, read as "times."

For example, 3 × 2.

· Multiplication Dot Denotes multiplication, read as "times." For example, 3 ⋅ 2.

÷ Division Sign Widely used for denoting division in Anglophone countries, its use
in mathematics is "not recommended."

/ Slash Denotes division, read as "divided by" or "over." Often replaced by

a horizontal bar. For example, 3 / 2 or { \ display style { \ frac { 3 }
{2}}}.

= Equals Sign Denotes equality, read as "equals." For example, 5 = 2 + 3.

≠ Not Equal Sign Denotes inequality, read as "not equal to." For example, 5 ≠ 4.

≈ Approximately Denotes approximation, read as "approximately equal to." For

Equal example, sin(0.01) ≈ 0.01.

> Greater Than Denotes strict inequality, read as "greater than." For example, 5 >
4.

< Less Than Denotes strict inequality, read as "less than." For example, 4 < 5.

≥ Greater Than or Denotes inequality, read as "greater than or equal to." For
Equal To example, 5 ≥ 4.

≤ Less Than or Equal Denotes inequality, read as "less than or equal to." For example, 4
To ≤ 5.
Set Theory

Symbol Name Description

{} Braces Used to denote a set of elements. For example, {1, 2, 3} represents the
set containing the numbers 1, 2, and 3.

∈ Element of Indicates that an element belongs to a set. For example, 1 ∈ {1, 2, 3}

means that 1 is an element of the set {1, 2, 3}.

∉ Not Element Indicates that an element does not belong to a set. For example, 4 ∉
of {1, 2, 3} means that 4 is not an element of the set {1, 2, 3}.

∪ Union Denotes the union of two sets, which contains all elements from both
sets. For example, {1, 2} ∪ {2, 3} = {1, 2, 3}.

∩ Intersection Denotes the intersection of two sets, which contains only the elements
common to both sets. For example, {1, 2} ∩ {2, 3} = {2}.

Algebra

Symbol Name Description

x Variable Represents an unknown value to be found. For example, when 2x = 4,

then x = 2.

≡ Equivalence Denotes that two expressions are identical.

≜ Equal by Denotes that an expression is defined as another expression.

Definition

:= Equal by Denotes that an expression is defined as another expression.

Definition

~ Approximately Denotes a weak approximation, read as "approximately equal to." For

Equal example, 11 ~ 10.

∝ Proportional Denotes proportionality, read as "proportional to." For example, y ∝ x

To when y = kx, where k is a constant.

∞ Lemniscate Represents infinity, an unbounded quantity.

≪ Much Less Denotes that one quantity is much smaller than another. For example,
 Than 1 ≪ 1000000.

≫ Much Greater Denotes that one quantity is much larger than another. For example,
Than 1000000 ≫ 1.

! Exclamation Denotes the factorial operation, which multiplies all positive integers
Mark less than or equal to a given integer. For example, 4! = 1 × 2 × 3 × 4 =
24.

|x| Vertical Bars Denotes the absolute value of a number, which is its distance from
zero. For example, |-5| = 5.

f(x) Function of x Represents a function that maps values of x to f(x). For example, f(x) =
3x + 5.

(f ∘ g) Function Represents the composition of two functions, where (f ∘ g)(x) = f(g(x)).

Composition For example, f(x) = 3x, g(x) = x - 1 ⇒ (f ∘ g)(x) = 3(x - 1).

(a, b) Open Interval Represents the set of all numbers between a and b, excluding a and b.
For example, x ∈ (2, 6) means x is between 2 and 6, but not equal to 2
or 6.

[a, b] Closed Represents the set of all numbers between a and b, including a and b.
Interval For example, x ∈ [2, 6] means x is between 2 and 6, including 2 and 6.

Δ Delta Often represents a change or difference in a quantity. For example, Δt

= t1 - t0.

∑ Sigma Represents summation, the sum of all values in a range of a series.

For example, ∑xi = x1 + x2 + ... + xn.

∏ Capital Pi Represents product, the product of all values in a range of a series. For
example, ∏xi = x1 ∙ x2 ∙ ... ∙ xn.

e Euler's Represents the mathematical constant e, approximately equal to

Number 2.71828. It is the base of the natural logarithm.

γ Euler- Represents the mathematical constant γ, approximately equal to

Mascheroni 0.5772156649.
Constant

φ Golden Ratio Represents the mathematical constant φ, approximately equal to

1.61803. It is the ratio of a line segment to its larger part when the
larger part is also the sum of the smaller part and the original line
 segment.

π Pi Represents the mathematical constant π, approximately equal to

3.14159. It is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.

Geometry

Symbol Name Description

∠ Angle Represents an angle formed by two rays. For example, ∠ABC = 30°.

∟ Right Angle Represents a right angle, equal to 90°.

° Degree Represents a degree, a unit of angular measurement. 1 turn = 360°.

⊥ Perpendicular Indicates that two lines are perpendicular to each other, forming a 90°
angle. For example, AC ⊥ BC.

∥ Parallel Indicates that two lines are parallel to each other. For example, AB ∥
CD.

≅ Congruent To Indicates that two geometric shapes are congruent, having the same
shape and size. For example, ΔABC ≅ ΔXYZ.

~ Similarity Indicates that two geometric shapes are similar, having the same
shape but not necessarily the same size. For example, ΔABC ~ ΔXYZ.

δ Triangle Represents a triangle shape. For example, δABC ≅ δBCD.

|x-y| Distance Represents the distance between two points x and y. For example, |x -
y| = 5.

Linear Algebra

Symbol Name Description

. Dot Represents the scalar product of two vectors. For example, a · b.

× Cross Represents the vector product of two vectors. For example, a × b.

⊗ Tensor Represents the tensor product of two tensors. For example, a ⊗ b.

Product
 [] Brackets Represents a matrix of numbers.

() Parentheses Represents a matrix of numbers.

|a| Determinant Represents the determinant of matrix a.

det(a) Determinant Represents the determinant of matrix a.

|| x || Double Represents the norm of a vector.

Vertical Bars

aT Transpose Represents the transpose of matrix a. (aT)ij = (a)ji.

Matrix

a† Hermitian Represents the conjugate transpose of matrix a. (a†)ij = (a)ji.

Matrix

a Hermitian Represents the conjugate transpose of matrix a. (a*)ij = (a)ji.

Matrix

a-1 Inverse Matrix Represents the inverse of matrix a. aa-1 = I.

rank(a) Matrix Rank Represents the rank of matrix a.

dim(u) Dimension Represents the dimension of a vector space.

Probability and Statistics

Symbol Name Description

p(a) Probability Represents the probability of event a. For example, p(a) = 0.5.
Function

p(a ∩ b) Probability of Represents the probability that both events a and b occur.
Events
Intersection

p(a | b) Conditional Represents the probability of event a given that event b has
Probability occurred.

E(x) Expected Represents the expected value of a random variable x.

Value

Var(x) Variance Represents the variance of a random variable x.

SD(x) Standard Represents the standard deviation of a random variable x.
Deviation

μ Mean Represents the mean of a population or sample.

σ Standard Represents the standard deviation of a population.

Deviation)