What mathematical symbols do I need to know?

• Starting with the basic four operations

Addition, plus, sum, total

Subtraction, minus, difference, take away

Multiplication, product, times

Division, quotient, share

• Equals signs

Equal to e.g.

Not equal to e.g.

Approximately equal to e.g. 

Identical to e.g. 

• Inequality signs

Greater than e.g. 

Greater than or equal to 

Less than or equal to

• Other helpful symbols

Brackets: used to group symbols e.g.

   Powers (also called indices, order or exponents): repeated multiplication of the base number

Square root: opposite of squaring e.g.  

   Plus Minus: Used to allow for two distinct answers, often in quadratics

is shorthand for and

   e.g. leading to  and

   Pi: the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter