Quick Answer
On Windows with a numeric keypad, the most common math symbols are Alt + 0177 for plus minus, Alt + 0215 for multiplication, Alt + 251 for square root, and Alt + 236 for infinity. On Mac, the Option key handles the same set: Option + Shift + equals, Option + V, Option + 5, and the Character Viewer for the rest.
Inside Word, press Alt + equals to launch the dedicated Equation Editor for any expression too complex for plain shortcuts.
Why a master math symbol reference matters
Stem students, technical writers, engineers, and teachers all hit the same wall: clean math notation looks professional, but typing it without a dedicated equation editor is slow. A small library of Alt codes and Option combinations covers ninety percent of everyday math writing without launching a separate tool.
The other ten percent (fractions, integrals, matrices) belong inside Word's Equation Editor or in LaTeX. Knowing where each tool fits saves real time.
The core math symbol Alt code database
Save this table or pin it to your monitor. Every shortcut below is verified on Windows 11 and macOS Sonoma.
- ± plus minus: Windows Alt + 0177, Mac Option + Shift + equals
- × multiplication: Windows Alt + 0215, Mac open Character Viewer and search "multiplication"
- ÷ division: Windows Alt + 0247, Mac Option + forward slash
- ² superscript two (squared): Windows Alt + 0178, Mac Character Viewer, search "superscript two"
- ³ superscript three (cubed): Windows Alt + 0179, Mac Character Viewer
- √ square root: Windows Alt + 251, Mac Option + V
- ∞ infinity: Windows Alt + 236, Mac Option + 5
- ≠ not equal: Windows Alt + 8800, Mac Option + equals
- ≈ approximately equal: Windows Alt + 247 or 8776, Mac Option + X
- ≤ less than or equal: Windows Alt + 8804, Mac Option + comma
- ≥ greater than or equal: Windows Alt + 8805, Mac Option + period
- π pi: Windows Alt + 227, Mac Option + P
- Σ summation sigma: Windows Alt + 228, Mac Option + W
- ° degree: Windows Alt + 0176, Mac Option + Shift + 8
- ∫ integral: Windows Alt + 244, Mac Option + B
- Δ delta (uppercase): Windows Alt + 916, Mac Option + J
- µ micro: Windows Alt + 0181, Mac Option + M
- ‰ per mille: Windows Alt + 0137, Mac Option + Shift + R
How Alt codes work
Alt codes are a Windows feature that converts decimal numbers into Unicode characters. They only work on a real numeric keypad. The number row above the QWERTY letters cannot trigger them.
- Turn on Num Lock.
- Hold the left Alt key.
- Type the decimal code (some codes start with a 0, some do not, both forms work).
- Release Alt and the symbol appears.
The shorter three digit codes (Alt + 251 for square root) come from the original Windows code page and are limited to about 256 characters. The four digit codes that start with 0 (Alt + 0177 for plus minus) use the modern Windows ANSI code page. The five digit codes (Alt + 8800 for not equal) reach into the full Unicode range.
How Mac Option combinations work
Apple groups math symbols under the Option key. Holding Shift in addition opens a second tier.
- Option + V for √
- Option + 5 for ∞
- Option + B for ∫
- Option + J for Δ
- Option + W for Σ
- Option + P for π
- Option + Shift + equals for ±
If you cannot remember a combination, open the Character Viewer with Control + Command + Spacebar, search by symbol name, and pin the result to your Favorites for future one click access.
Math symbols in mobile keyboards
On iOS and Android, the symbol layer (123 or ?123) hides math characters behind long presses.
- Long press the equals key for ≠, ≈, and ≤.
- Long press the forward slash for ÷.
- Long press the asterisk for ×.
- Long press the zero on iOS for °.
For Greek letters and rare symbols, install a math keyboard such as MyScript Calculator or LaTeX Keyboard, both available on the App Store and Play Store.
Inside Microsoft Word
Word offers two parallel paths for math.
The Equation Editor
Press Alt + equals to open the inline Equation Editor. Type expressions in a LaTeX style syntax: \frac{1}{2} renders as a real fraction, \sqrt{x} renders as a square root, \sum becomes the summation sign. Word converts the markup as you type.
Hex to symbol
Type the four character Unicode hex code and press Alt + X. For example, 221E becomes ∞, 00B1 becomes ±, 2260 becomes ≠. This works in any Word document without launching the Equation Editor.
Inside Google Docs
Click Insert, then Equation, to open the equation toolbar. The toolbar has palettes for Greek letters, operators, relations, and arrows. For one off symbols, Insert, Special Characters, search by name (the search bar accepts "integral", "summation", "infinity") and click to insert.
HTML and CSS
Most math symbols have dedicated HTML entities for clean markup.
- ± renders as ±
- × renders as ×
- ÷ renders as ÷
- ° renders as °
- √ renders as √
- ∞ renders as ∞
- ≠ renders as ≠
- ≤ renders as ≤
- ≥ renders as ≥
- ∑ renders as Σ
For full equations on a website, use MathML (supported natively in modern browsers) or render via KaTeX or MathJax for cross browser consistency.
Troubleshooting
The symbol shows as a hollow box
The active font is missing the glyph. Switch to Cambria Math, STIX, Latin Modern, or any modern system font. Specialised math symbols live outside the Basic Multilingual Plane and need a fairly complete font.
Alt + 8800 prints nothing
Some older Windows apps only support three or four digit Alt codes, not five. Use the Word hex method (2260 then Alt + X) instead, or copy paste from the emoji picker.
FAQs
What is the difference between × and the letter x?
× (U+00D7) is the multiplication sign. The letter x is a Latin character. They render differently in most fonts and screen readers treat them differently. For math, always use the dedicated multiplication symbol.
Should I learn LaTeX instead?
For long form math (academic papers, dense equation heavy documents), yes. For occasional symbols in business writing or social posts, Alt codes and Option combinations are faster.
The takeaway
You only need to memorise the five or six math symbols you use weekly. Save the table above for the rest and lean on Word's Equation Editor or the system Character Viewer when memory fails. Clean math notation stops being a friction point.
