Multiplication sign

Multiplication sign
The multiplication sign

The multiplication sign is the symbol ×. The symbol is similar to the lowercase letter x but is a more symmetric saltire, and has different uses. It is also known as St. Andrew's Cross[1] and as the dimension sign.

In mathematics, the symbol × (read as times, multiplication sign or into sign) is primarily used to denote the

The × symbol for multiplication was introduced by William Oughtred in 1631.[2] It was chosen for religious reason to represent the cross.[3] The symbol is encoded in Unicode at U+00D7 × multiplication sign (HTML: × ×).

Contents

Similar notations

Main article: Multiplication#Notation_and_terminology

Many other symbols are used to denote multiplication, often to reduce confusion between the multiplication sign × and the commonly used variable x. Nonetheless, the letter "x" is sometimes mistakenly used in place of the multiplication sign.[4]

In many non-Anglophone countries, the · (middle dot or interpunct) is the primary multiplication sign (instead of ×): "a multiplied by b" is written either explicitly as a·b or implicitly as ab depending on context.

In biology, the multiplication sign is used in a botanical hybrid name, where it is read as "cross".

In computer software

The × symbol is listed in Unicode letterlike symbols and is U+00D7 in Unicode. It can be invoked in various operating systems as per the table below.

There is a similar character ⨯ at U+2A2F, but this is not always considered identical to U+00D7, as it is intended to explicitly denote the cross product of two vectors.

In computers, the * symbol is used most often for multiplication since the ⨯ symbol does not exist on most keyboards.

Apple Macintosh in Character Palette, search for MULTIPLICATION SIGN[5][6]
HTML × and ×
Microsoft Windows Alt + 0215 or Alt + 00D7[7]
Microsoft Word U+00D7[citation needed]
Linux/X Window Alt + Shift + ; for ×, Alt + . for · or Compose x x for ×
OpenOffice.org times
TeX \times
Unicode U+00D7
XML unknown

See also

References

  1. ^ Stallings, L. (2000). "A Brief History of Algebraic Notation". School Science and Mathematics 100 (5): 230–235. doi:10.1111/j.1949-8594.2000.tb17262.x. ISSN 00366803. 
  2. ^ Florian Cajori (1919). A History of Mathematics. Macmillan. http://books.google.com/?id=bBoPAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA157&dq=inauthor:cajori+william-oughtred+multiplication. 
  3. ^ Stallings, L. (2000). "A Brief History of Algebraic Notation". School Science and Mathematics 100 (5): 230–235. doi:10.1111/j.1949-8594.2000.tb17262.x. ISSN 00366803. 
  4. ^ David Spencer (15 February 2011). "Typographic Train Wrecks". Type Desk. Matador. http://typedesk.com/2011/01/31/typographic-train-wrecks/. Retrieved 31 January 2011. 
  5. ^ http://www.apple.com/de/pro/tips/specialchar.html Apple Sonderzeichen (German / Deutsch)
  6. ^ http://www.typografie.info/typowiki/index.php?title=Mac_Zeichenpalette
  7. ^ http://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/00D7/index.htm

External links


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