| Symbol | Name | Meaning / Function | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
+ |
Plus sign | Addition | 5 + 3 = 8 |
− |
Minus sign | Subtraction | 9 − 4 = 5 |
× |
Multiplication sign | Multiplication | 6 × 7 = 42 |
÷ |
Division sign | Division | 20 ÷ 4 = 5 |
= |
Equals sign | Equality | 2 + 2 = 4 |
≠ |
Not equal sign | Inequality | 5 ≠ 3 |
≈ |
Approximately equal | Approximation | π ≈ 3.14 |
< |
Less than | Strict inequality | 3 < 8 |
> |
Greater than | Strict inequality | 10 > 2 |
≤ |
Less than or equal to | Inequality | x ≤ 5 |
≥ |
Greater than or equal to | Inequality | y ≥ 1 |
^ |
Caret / Exponent | Power / Exponentiation | 2 ^ 3 = 8 |
! |
Exclamation mark | Factorial | 4! = 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 = 24 |
√ |
Square root | Radical | √16 = 4 |
% |
Percent | Per hundred | 50% = 0.5 |
() |
Parentheses | Grouping operations | (2 + 3) × 4 = 20 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ^ mean in math?
The caret symbol (^) represents exponentiation or raising a number to a power. For example, 3 ^ 2 means 3 raised to the second power ($3^2$), which equals 9.
What is ! in math?
The exclamation mark (!) denotes a factorial. The factorial of a non-negative integer is the product of all positive integers less than or equal to that number. For example, 5! = 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 = 120.