The division sign (÷) is a symbol consisting of a short horizontal line with a dot above and another dot below, used in Anglophone countries to indicate mathematical division. However, this usage, though widespread in some countries, is not universal; it is used for other purposes in other countries and its use to denote division is not recommended in the ISO 80000-2 standard for mathematical notation.[1]
The symbol does not represent division in every country. Here it is being used as a minus sign (not as a division sign) in an excerpt from an official Norwegian trading statement form called «Næringsoppgave 1» for the taxation year 2010.
The obelus, a historical glyph consisting of a horizontal line with (or without) one or more dots, was first used as a symbol for division in 1659, in the algebra book Teutsche Algebra by Johann Rahn, although previous writers had used the same symbol for subtraction.[2] Some near-contemporaries believed that John Pell, who edited the book, may have been responsible for this use of the symbol.[2] Other symbols for division include the slash or solidus /, the colon:, and the fraction bar (the horizontal bar in a vertical fraction).[3][4] The ISO 80000-2 standard for mathematical notation recommends only the solidus / or "fraction bar" for division, or the "colon" : for ratios; it says that the ÷ sign "should not be used" for division.[1]
Historically, an oblique form of the obelus, ⁒ (commercial minus sign), has also been used to represent subtraction in Northern Europe; such usage continued in some parts of Europe, including Norway and—until fairly recently—Denmark.[citation needed]
In computer systems
Encoding
The symbol was assigned to code point 0xF7 in ISO 8859-1, as the "division sign". This encoding was transferred to Unicode as U+00F7.[6] In HTML, it can be encoded as ÷ or ÷ (at HTML level 3.2), or as ÷.
On UNIX-based systems using Screen or X with a Compose key enabled, it can be produced by composing : (colon) and - (hyphen/minus). It may also be produced using its Unicode code-point (F7), by pressing Control+⇧ Shift+uf7space.
In LaTeX, the division sign is obtained by the command \div.
In ChromeOS (with International/Extended keyboard setting), the division sign is obtained by pressing AltGr+⇧ Shift++. Otherwise, the Unix-style methods may be used.
^ abCajori, Florian (1928). A history of mathematical notations. Vol. 1. Notations in Elementary Mathematics. The Open Court Company. pp. 242, 270–271. pp 270,271
^Weisstein, Eric W. "Division". mathworld.wolfram.com. Retrieved 2020-08-26.
^"6. Writing Systems and Punctuation". The Unicode® Standard: Version 10.0 – Core Specification(PDF). Unicode Consortium. June 2017. p. 280, Obelus.
^Korpela, Jukka (2006), Unicode Explained: Internationalize documents, programs, and web sites, O'Reilly Media, Inc., p. 397, ISBN9780596101213
External links
Jeff Miller: Earliest Uses of Various Mathematical Symbols
Michael Quinion: Where our arithmetic symbols come from
The dictionary definition of division sign at Wiktionary
March 07, 2023
division, sign, redirects, here, music, album, this, name, album, tifinagh, character, other, signs, used, division, division, mathematics, notation, division, sign, symbol, consisting, short, horizontal, line, with, above, another, below, used, anglophone, co. redirects here For the music album of this name see album For the Tifinagh character see ⴻ For other signs used for division see Division mathematics Notation The division sign is a symbol consisting of a short horizontal line with a dot above and another dot below used in Anglophone countries to indicate mathematical division However this usage though widespread in some countries is not universal it is used for other purposes in other countries and its use to denote division is not recommended in the ISO 80000 2 standard for mathematical notation 1 Division signIn UnicodeU 00F7 DIVISION SIGN amp divide amp div Different fromDifferent fromU 2052 COMMERCIAL MINUS SIGNU 002B PLUS SIGNU 2020 DAGGERU 034B COMBINING HOMOTHETIC ABOVERelatedSee alsoU 00D7 MULTIPLICATION SIGN Contents 1 In mathematics 2 In computer systems 2 1 Encoding 2 2 Keyboard entry 3 See also 4 Notes 5 External linksIn mathematics EditFurther information Division mathematics Notation The symbol does not represent division in every country Here it is being used as a minus sign not as a division sign in an excerpt from an official Norwegian trading statement form called Naeringsoppgave 1 for the taxation year 2010 The obelus a historical glyph consisting of a horizontal line with or without one or more dots was first used as a symbol for division in 1659 in the algebra book Teutsche Algebra by Johann Rahn although previous writers had used the same symbol for subtraction 2 Some near contemporaries believed that John Pell who edited the book may have been responsible for this use of the symbol 2 Other symbols for division include the slash or solidus the colon and the fraction bar the horizontal bar in a vertical fraction 3 4 The ISO 80000 2 standard for mathematical notation recommends only the solidus or fraction bar for division or the colon for ratios it says that the sign should not be used for division 1 In Italy Poland and Russia the sign was sometimes used to denote a range of values and in Scandinavian countries it was used as a negation sign 5 Historically an oblique form of the obelus commercial minus sign has also been used to represent subtraction in Northern Europe such usage continued in some parts of Europe including Norway and until fairly recently Denmark citation needed In computer systems EditEncoding Edit The symbol was assigned to code point 0xF7 in ISO 8859 1 as the division sign This encoding was transferred to Unicode as U 00F7 6 In HTML it can be encoded as amp divide or amp xF7 at HTML level 3 2 or as amp 247 Keyboard entry Edit In Microsoft Windows this division sign is produced with Alt 0247 or 246 with no zero on the number pad or by pressing Alt Gr Shift when an appropriate keyboard layout is in use In classic Mac OS and macOS it is produced with Option On UNIX based systems using Screen or X with a Compose key enabled it can be produced by composing colon and hyphen minus It may also be produced using its Unicode code point F7 by pressing Control Shift u f7space In LaTeX the division sign is obtained by the command div In ChromeOS with International Extended keyboard setting the division sign is obtained by pressing AltGr Shift Otherwise the Unix style methods may be used See also EditPlus and minus signs Multiplication signNotes Edit a b ISO 80000 2 Section 9 Operations 2 9 6 a b Cajori Florian 1928 A history of mathematical notations Vol 1 Notations in Elementary Mathematics The Open Court Company pp 242 270 271 pp 270 271 Weisstein Eric W Division mathworld wolfram com Retrieved 2020 08 26 Division www mathsisfun com Retrieved 2020 08 26 6 Writing Systems and Punctuation The Unicode Standard Version 10 0 Core Specification PDF Unicode Consortium June 2017 p 280 Obelus Korpela Jukka 2006 Unicode Explained Internationalize documents programs and web sites O Reilly Media Inc p 397 ISBN 9780596101213External links EditJeff Miller Earliest Uses of Various Mathematical Symbols Michael Quinion Where our arithmetic symbols come from The dictionary definition of division sign at Wiktionary Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Division sign amp oldid 1139398210, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
