÷
Division Sign
- Unicode
- U+00F7
- Category
- Math
- HTML Entity
- ÷
- CSS
- \00F7
The division sign (÷), also known as an obelus, is a classic mathematical symbol used to denote the operation of division. Swiss mathematician Johann Rahn first used it in 1659 for this purpose, though it historically meant subtraction in certain European countries. Today, it frequently appears on basic calculators and in elementary math textbooks, while the forward slash (/) is generally preferred in advanced mathematics and computing.
How to Type
- Windows
- Alt+0247
- macOS
- Option+/
- Linux
- Compose + - + :
- HTML
- ÷
In Programming
Most programming languages use the forward slash (/) for division operations rather than the traditional division sign (÷). The obelus is primarily reserved for user interfaces, such as digital calculator apps, or academic documentation where mathematical readability is the priority.
Tags
Johann Rahn
arithmetic
arithmetic symbol
calculator symbol
divide
divided by
divided by sign
division operator
division symbol
elementary math symbol
fraction
fraction alternative
mathematics
obelus