Plus-Minus Sign Symbol ±

The Mathematical Concept: Plus-Minus Sign (±)

The plus-minus sign (±) is a mathematical symbol used to represent two possible values, one positive and one negative. It is employed to express the uncertainty or ambiguity of a quantity, indicating that a variable can take on either of two values.

Usage and Notation

In mathematical notation, the plus-minus sign "±" is commonly used to express the two potential solutions of an equation or the range of possible values for a variable. For example:

  • x = 3 ± 2
  • y = √(9 ± 4)

In these examples, "±" indicates that the variable can take on both the positive and negative values of the specified quantity. It is often used in situations where there is uncertainty or a range of possible outcomes.

Representation in HTML

In HTML, the plus-minus sign "±" can be represented using the HTML entity ±.

Properties and Usage

The plus-minus sign is used in various mathematical contexts, including:

  • Quadratic Equations: Expressing both roots of a quadratic equation.
  • Measurement Uncertainty: Indicating a range of possible values for a measured quantity.
  • Trigonometry: Representing multiple solutions in trigonometric equations.

Example

Consider the equation x2 - 5x + 6 = 0. The solutions can be expressed using the plus-minus sign:

x = (5 ± √(52 - 4(6))) / (2) 
x = (5 ± √1) / 2 
x = (5 ± 1) / 2

Therefore, the solutions are x = 3 and x = 2, represented as x = 3 ± 1.

The plus-minus sign "±" is a valuable mathematical symbol that conveys the dual nature of a variable, providing a concise representation of both positive and negative solutions or potential values. Its usage is prevalent in various mathematical disciplines and problem-solving scenarios.

±

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Plus-Minus Sign Symbol Information

Symbol Name Plus-Minus Sign
Unicode Version 1.1 (June 1993)
Unicode U+00B1
CSS Code \00B1
HTML Entity ±
Hex Code ±
HTML Code ±
Latex \pm

Plus-Minus Sign Symbol Encoding

UTF-8 0xC2 0xB1
UTF-16 0x00B1
UTF-32 0x000000B1


Plus-Minus Sign symbol's PNG and SVG files


How to type plus-minus sign symbol in latex

Copy \documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
\pm
\end{document}

How to add plus-minus sign symbol via keyboard on different Operating systems

You can type the plus-minus sign on most modern devices with the help of following methods:

How to type plus-minus sign symbol on Microsoft Word

You can type the plus-minus sign on microsoft Microsoft Word using steps mentioned below:

  • Place your cursor in the text area where you need to insert the symbol and type 0 0 B 1
  • Without moving the cursor press keys Alt + x together
  • The original 0 0 B 1 is now transformed into ±

How to type plus-minus sign symbol on Microsoft Windows

You can type the plus-minus sign on Microsoft windows using following steps:

  • Hold Alt and press to type plus-minus sign on your windows machine.

How to type plus-minus sign symbol on Mac OS

You can type the plus-minus sign on Mac OS using following steps:

  • Place your cursor in the text area where you need to insert the symbol
  • Press Ctrl + ⌘ Command + ⎵ Space to bring up the Character Viewer. Alternatively, choose Edit ⇒ Emoji & Symbols
  • Type “Plus-Minus Sign” in the search field at the top and press Enter
  • The symbol should appear. Click on it to insert it into your text
  • How to type plus-minus sign symbol on Mac OS
    How to type plus-minus sign symbol on Mac OS

How to type plus-minus sign symbol on Linux

You can type the plus-minus sign on Linux using following steps:

  • Place your cursor in the text area where you need to insert the symbol
  • Hold ⇧ Shift + Ctrl and press the letter + U
  • Press keys 0 0 B 1 consecutively
  • And then press ↵ Enter , the desired symbol will be added to your document

How to type plus-minus sign symbol on IOS and Android

The easiest way to type the plus-minus sign on ios and android is to copy and paste it wherever you need it.


How to use plus-minus sign in CSS

Copy // css example
span {
content: "\00B1";
}

How to type plus-minus sign in HTML

Copy // html example
<span>&#177;</span>

Plus-Minus Sign symbol representation in programming languages

plus-minus sign's representation in different programming languages can be found in table below:

Language Representation
Rust \u{B1}
Ruby \u{B1}
Python \u00B1
PHP \u{B1}
Perl "\x{B1}"
Java \u00B1
Modern JavaScript - Since ES6 \u{B1}
JavaScript \u00B1
Go \u00B1
C# \u00B1
C and C++ \u00B1
Bash and Zsh - inside echo -e \u00B1
RFC 5137 \u'00B1'
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