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Other symbols can also be used to denote multiplication, often to reduce confusion between the multiplication sign × and the common variable x. In some countries, such as Germany , the primary symbol for multiplication is the " dot operator " ⋅ (as in a⋅b ).
In vector multiplication, there is a distinction between the cross and the dot symbols. The cross symbol generally denotes the taking a cross product of two vectors, yielding a vector as its result, while the dot denotes taking the dot product of two vectors, resulting in a scalar.
1698 (perhaps deriving from a much earlier use of middle dot to separate juxtaposed numbers) division slash (a.k.a. solidus ) 1718 (deriving from horizontal fraction bar, invented by Abu Bakr al-Hassar in the 12th century)
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 ...
For example, multiplication is granted a higher precedence than addition, and it has been this way since the introduction of modern algebraic notation. [2] [3] Thus, in the expression 1 + 2 × 3, the multiplication is performed before addition, and the expression has the value 1 + (2 × 3) = 7, and not (1 + 2) × 3 = 9.
The Combining Diacritical Marks for Symbols block contains arrows, dots, enclosures, and overlays for modifying symbol characters. The math subset of this block is U+20D0–U+20DC, U+20E1, U+20E5–U+20E6, and U+20EB–U+20EF.
Sometimes, multiplication symbols are replaced with either a dot or center-dot, so that x × y is written as either x. y or x · y. Plain text, programming languages, and calculators also use a single asterisk to represent the multiplication symbol, [6] and it must be explicitly used; for example, 3x is written as 3 * x.
An interpunct ·, also known as an interpoint, [1] middle dot, middot, centered dot or centred dot, is a punctuation mark consisting of a vertically centered dot used for interword separation in Classical Latin. (Word-separating spaces did not appear until some time between 600 and 800 CE.) It appears in a variety of uses in some modern languages.