The smaller keyboard has a symbol and a key combination. Here are some examples:
- ± Plus or minus: ⇧ Shift + ⇧ Option
- ° Degree: ⇧ Shift + ⇧ Option + 8
- ≥ Greater than or equal to: ⇧ Option + >
- ≤ Less than or equal to: ⇧ Option + <
Obtaining the plus or minus symbol
To obtain the plus or minus symbol, follow these steps:
- Press the keys 2, 4, 1 or 0, 1, 7, 7 on the numeric keypad while holding down the Alt key.
- Release the Alt key to generate the plus or minus symbol.
- You can now insert the symbol in a text editor such as Word or Excel.
Adding "+" to a word
To add the "+" symbol to a word using Word, follow this simple method:
- Type 00B1.
- Press ALT+X simultaneously.
- This method works for both uppercase and lowercase characters.
The largest and smallest symbols
One of the most commonly used mathematical symbols is the greater than symbol (>), which resembles an uppercase V rotated counterclockwise. Mathematician Thomas Harriot first used the greater than and less than symbols (<) in a treatise. The greater than symbol (>) represents the greater than relationship between real numbers. For example, if a − b is positive, it is written as a > b, which reads "a is greater than b". You can find these symbols in the Insert menu of Word, by clicking on Advanced Symbol and accessing the Symbols tab. Simply click on the symbol you are interested in.
Identifying special characters in words
To identify special characters in words using Word, follow these steps:
- Click on the Symbol button in the Symbols button group on the WORD tab.
- This will create a drop-down menu showing the unique characters and symbols that have been used in recent documents.
Typing the "@" symbol
To type the "@" symbol on a Windows keyboard, follow these steps:
- Press the Alt Gr key and the "@" key simultaneously.
Meaning of symbols
In symbolic form, the following meanings apply:
- a > b: a is greater than b
- a < b: a is less than b
- a ≥ b: a is greater than or equal to b
- a ≤ b: a is less than or equal to b
Writing "a person older than twenty"
The symbol that represents greater than is ">".