The math symbols people copy most are ± (plus-minus), × (multiplication), ÷ (division) and ≠ (not equal), the ones no standard keyboard prints. Each key below carries the real Unicode character, so it pastes cleanly into Word, Google Docs, email or code. On Windows you can also hold Alt and type the number shown on the numeric keypad; in Word, type the code and press Alt + X.
01 Symbols at a glance
| Symbol | How to type | |
|---|---|---|
| Plus-Minus Sign | U+00B1 · Alt+0177 · ± |
|
| Multiplication Sign | U+00D7 · Alt+0215 · × |
|
| Division Sign | U+00F7 · Alt+0247 · ÷ |
|
| Not Equal To | U+2260 · Word: 2260 Alt+X · ≠ |
|
| Less-Than or Equal To | U+2264 · Word: 2264 Alt+X · ≤ |
|
| Greater-Than or Equal To | U+2265 · Word: 2265 Alt+X · ≥ |
|
| Almost Equal To | U+2248 · Word: 2248 Alt+X · ≈ |
|
| Square Root | U+221A · Word: 221A Alt+X · √ |
|
| Infinity | U+221E · Word: 221E Alt+X · ∞ |
|
| N-ary Summation | U+2211 · Word: 2211 Alt+X · ∑ |
|
| N-ary Product | U+220F · Word: 220F Alt+X · ∏ |
|
| Integral | U+222B · Word: 222B Alt+X · ∫ |
|
| Pi | U+03C0 · Word: 3C0 Alt+X · π |
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| Partial Differential | U+2202 · Word: 2202 Alt+X · ∂ |
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| Element Of | U+2208 · Word: 2208 Alt+X · ∈ |
|
| Empty Set | U+2205 · Word: 2205 Alt+X · ∅ |
02 FAQ
How do I type the ± plus-minus sign?
Copy it from the key above, or on Windows hold Alt and type 0177 on the numeric keypad. In Word, type 00B1 and press Alt+X. On Mac, open the Character Viewer with Control+Command+Space and search "plus-minus".
Why does × look better than the letter x for multiplication?
× is the true multiplication sign (U+00D7); the letter x is a Latin letter. Screen readers announce × as "multiplication", spreadsheets and equation editors recognise it, and it sits centred on the line instead of on the baseline like a lowercase x.
What is the difference between ≈ and ≅?
≈ (almost equal to) means two values are approximately equal, e.g. π ≈ 3.14. ≅ (approximately equal to / congruent) is used in geometry for congruent shapes. Copy whichever your context needs, both paste as real Unicode.