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The division sign (÷) is a mathematical symbol consisting of a short horizontal line with a dot above and another dot below, used in Anglophone countries to indicate the operation of division. This usage, though widespread in some countries, is not universal and the symbol has a different meaning in other countries.
This division sign is also used alone to represent the division operation itself, as for instance as a label on a key of a calculator. The obelus was introduced by Swiss mathematician Johann Rahn in 1659 in Teutsche Algebra. [10]: 211 The ÷ symbol is used to indicate subtraction in some European countries, so its use may be misunderstood. [11]
In mathematics, the first symbol is mainly used in Anglophone countries to represent the mathematical operation of division and is called an obelus. [3] In editing texts, the second symbol, also called a dagger mark † is used to indicate erroneous or dubious content; [4] [5] or as a reference mark or footnote indicator. [6]
A mathematical symbol is a figure or a combination of figures that is used to represent a mathematical object, an action on mathematical objects, a relation between mathematical objects, or for structuring the other symbols that occur in a formula. As formulas are entirely constituted with symbols of various types, many symbols are needed for ...
Trademark symbol ※ Reference mark: Asterisk, Dagger: Footnote ¤ Scarab (non-Unicode name) ('Scarab' is an informal name for the generic currency sign) § Section sign: section symbol, section mark, double-s, 'silcrow' Pilcrow; Semicolon: Colon ℠ Service mark symbol: Trademark symbol / Slash (non-Unicode name) Division sign, Forward Slash ...
The combination of these two symbols is sometimes known as a long division symbol or division bracket. [8] It developed in the 18th century from an earlier single-line notation separating the dividend from the quotient by a left parenthesis. [9] [10] The process is begun by dividing the left-most digit of the dividend by the divisor.
The following table lists many specialized symbols commonly used in modern mathematics, ... horizontal bar for division: 14th century (approx.) Nicole Oresme [1] +
Beyond primary education, the symbol '÷' for division is seldom used, but is replaced by the use of algebraic fractions, [12] typically written vertically with the numerator stacked above the denominator – which makes grouping explicit and unambiguous – but sometimes written inline using the slash or solidus symbol '/'. [13]