Mathematical Symbols (Edexcel IGCSE Maths B): Revision Note

Mathematical symbols

What mathematical symbols do I need to know?

• Starting with the basic four operations

  • $+$  Addition, plus, sum, total

  • $-$  Subtraction, minus, difference, take away

  • $\times$ Multiplication, product, times

  • $÷$ Division, quotient, divide, share

• Equals signs

  • $=$ Equal to

    • e.g.  $3x+7=19$

  • $\ne$ Not equal to

    • e.g.  $2-5\ne 5-2$

  • $\approx$ Approximately equal to

    • e.g.  $\pi \approx 3.14$

  • $\equiv$ Identical (equivalent) to

    • e.g.  $12x+6\equiv 3(4x+2)$

• Inequality signs

  • $>$ Greater than

    • e.g.  $5>-2$

  • $<$ Less than

    • e.g.  $\frac{1}{2}<\frac{2}{3}$

  • $⩾$ Greater than or equal to

  • $⩽$ Less than or equal to

• Other helpful symbols

  • $\left(\right)$  Brackets

    • used to group symbols

    • e.g.  $(2x+4)–3(x+7)$

  • $3^x$  Powers (also called indices, orders, or exponents)

    • repeated multiplication

    • e.g.  $3^4=3\times 3\times 3\times 3=81$

  • $\sqrt{}$  Positive square root

    • inverse of squaring

    • e.g.  $\sqrt{81}=9$ because  $9^2=81$

  • $\sqrt[3]{}$  Cube root

    • inverse of cubing

    • e.g.  $\sqrt[3]{64}=4$ because  $4^3=64$

  • $\pm$  Plus Minus

    • used to allow for both a positive and negative answer (two distinct answers)

    • $a\pm b$ is the same as $a+b$ and $a-b$

    • e.g.  $x=3\pm 2.5$ is the same as $x=3+2.5=5.5$ and $x=3-2.5=0.5$

  • $\pi$  Pi

    • the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter