Subjects
Grades
Mathematical Symbols
Concept sheet | Mathematics
Secondary
1-5
|
Elementary Level |
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|---|---|---|---|
|
Symbol |
Name |
Definition |
Example |
|
|+| |
Addition |
Mathematical operation used to add one quantity to another |
|4+2=6| |
|
|-| |
Subtraction |
Mathematical operation used to take away one quantity from another |
|4-2=2| |
|
|\times| |
Multiplication |
Operation equivalent to the repeated addition of a number or quantity |
|3\times4=4+4+4=12| |
|
|\div| |
Division |
Operation that determines how many times one number or quantity can fit into another |
|32\div4=8| |
|
|=| |
Equality |
Symbol meaning that two quantities have the same value |
|4+5=9| |
|
|<| |
Less than |
Symbol that indicates that a number (or a variable) is smaller than another |
|2<4| |
|
|\leq| |
Less than or equal to |
Symbol that indicates that a number (or a variable) is less than or equal to another |
|3 \leq 4| and | 4 \leq 4| |
|
|>| |
Greater than |
Symbol that indicates that a number (or a variable) is greater than another |
|6>1| |
|
|\geq| |
Greater than or equal to |
Symbol that indicates that a number (or a variable) is greater than or equal to another |
|6 \geq 1| and | 1 \geq 1| |
|
Secondary Level |
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|
Symbol |
Name |
Definition |
Example |
|
|\neq| |
Does not equal or is different from |
Symbol stating that two quantities do not have the same value |
|4\neq8| |
|
|\in| |
Belongs to... |
Indicates that a value is part of a set of numbers or indicates the set of possible numbers that a variable can equal |
|x \in \mathbb{N}| (|x| is a member of the natural numbers) |
|
|\mathbb{N}| |
Set of natural numbers |
Set of positive whole numbers including zero |
|0,1,2,3,4,...| |
|
|\mathbb{Z}| |
Set of integers |
Set of positive and negative integers |
|...,-2,-1,0,1,2,...| |
|
|\mathbb{R}| |
Set of real numbers |
All the possible non-imaginary numbers |
|1;1.25;\sqrt{2};\pi;-5.4;0.2| |
|
|\mathbb{Q}| |
Set of rational numbers |
Set of numbers that can be written as fractions |
|-2;\dfrac{-3}{4};-0,1;\dfrac{5}{2};16;34.7| |
|
|\mathbb{R}\backslash \mathbb{Q}| or |\mathbb{Q}'| |
Set of irrational numbers |
Numbers that cannot be expressed as the ratio of 2 integers |
|\sqrt{2},| |\sqrt[3]{11},| |e,| |\pi| |
|
|\leq| |
Less than or equal to |
Symbol that represents that a number (or a variable) is less than or equal to another |
|x\leq3| |
|
|\geq| |
Greater than or equal to |
Symbol that represents that a number (or a variable) is greater than or equal to another |
|y\geq4| |
|
|\approx| |
Approximately |
Symbol which means that a variable or a symbol is approximately equal to a value |
|\pi\approx 3.14| |
|
|\mid \,\,\,\, \mid| |
Absolute value |
Positive value of a number |
|\mid 2\mid=2| |
|
|\sqrt{\phantom{x}}| |
Square root |
The square root of a positive number |x| is the number whose square is |x.| |
|\sqrt{81}=9| |
|
|\sqrt[3]{\phantom{x}}| |
Cube root |
The cube root of a real number |x| is the only real number whose cube (3rd power) equals |x.| |
|\sqrt[3]{27}=3| |
|
|\pi| |
Pi |
A constant equal to the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. |
|\pi\approx 3.14| |
|
|\infty| |
Infinity |
Symbol used to describe something endless numerically |
|\mathbb{R}_+=[0,\infty)| |
|
|\Delta| |
Delta |
Symbol usually representing the change in a variable |
|\Delta y=y_{2}-y_{1}| |
|
|\theta| |
Theta |
Symbol used to represent an angle in a plane |
 |
|
|\angle ABC| |
angle formed by ABC |
Symbol representing the angle formed by three points |
 |
|
|m\overline{AB}| |
length of a line AB |
Symbol representing the length of a line segment |
|m\overline{AB}=3\ \text{cm}| |
|
|m\overset{\frown}{AB}| |
length of an arc AB of a circle |
Symbol representing the magnitude of an arc in a circle |
|m\overset{\frown}{AB}=120^{o}| |
|
|\overrightarrow{AB}| |
vector AB |
Symbol representing a vector with an origin of |A| that ends at point |B| |
|\overrightarrow{AB}=(8,10)| |