🔢 LaTeX Math Symbols: A Practical Guide

This guide offers a comprehensive list of LaTeX math symbols commonly used in mathematical and scientific content. We've grouped the commands by category to make it easy to browse and see how each one will look in your documentation.

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🔸 Operators

This is a group of common LaTeX math commands used to display mathematical operations such as addition, subtraction, division, and comparison.

Symbol	LaTeX Code	Description
	+	Plus
	-	Minus
	`\pm`	Plus-minus
	`\div`	Division
	`\times`	Multiplication
	`\neq`	Not equal
	`\propto`	Proportional to
	`\sim`	Similar to
	`\simeq`	Asymptotically equal to
	`\cong`	Congruent to
	`\approx`	Approximately equal
	`\equiv`	Identical to
	`\not\equiv`	Not identical to
	`\leq`	Less than or equal to
	`\geq`	Greater than or equal to
	`\ll`	Much less than
	`\gg`	Much greater than
	`\perp`	Perpendicular

🔸 Fractions and roots

The section covers how to write simple and nested fractions, square roots, and n-th roots to express ratios and radicals.

Symbol	LaTeX Code	Description
	`\frac{1}{2}`	Fraction
	\frac{1+\frac{a}{b}}{1+\frac{1}{1+\frac{1}{a}}}	Nested fractions
	`\sqrt{x}`	Square root
	`\sqrt[n]{x}`	n-th root

🔸 Superscripts and subscripts

The list of LaTeX commands to format powers, indices, and combined notations using superscripts and subscripts in equations.

Symbol	LaTeX Code	Description
	`x^2`	Superscript
	`x_n`	Subscript
	`x^{2+2}`	Grouped superscript
	`x_2^5`	Combined subscript and superscript
	`{}_1^2\!X_3^4`	Preceding subscript and superscript

🔸 Sums, products, and limits

This part of the guide provides LaTeX syntax for summation, product notations, coproducts, and mathematical limits.

Symbol	LaTeX Code	Description
	`\sum_{k=1}^N k^2`	Summation
	`\prod_{i=1}^N x_i`	Product
	`\coprod_{i=1}^N x_i`	Coproduct
	`\lim_{n \to \infty}x_n`	Limit

🔸 Integrals

LaTeX commands to express single, double, triple, and contour integrals, used frequently in calculus and advanced mathematics.

Symbol	LaTeX Code	Description
	`\int_{-N}^{N} e^x\, dx`	Integral
	`\iint_{D}^{W} \, dx\,dy`	Double integral
	`\iiint_{E}^{V} \, dx\,dy\,dz`	Triple integral
	`\oint_{C} x^3\, dx + 4y^2\, dy`	Contour integral

🔸 Derivatives, arrows, and visual grouping

This group of LaTeX commands includes notation for derivatives, vectors, accents, arrows, and braces, which is helpful for organizing and emphasizing expressions.

Symbol	LaTeX Code	Description
	`x'`	Derivative
	`\dot{x}`	First derivative
	`\ddot{y}`	Second derivative
	\tilde{x}	Tilde accent
	`\vec{c}`	Vector notation
	`\overleftarrow{a b}`	Overleft arrow
	`\overrightarrow{a b}`	Overright arrow
	`\widehat{a b c}`	Wide hat
	`\overset{\frown}{XY}`	Arc
	`\overline{a b c}`	Overline
	`\underline{a b c}`	Underline
	`\overbrace{1+2+\cdots+1000}`	Overbrace
	`\underbrace{a+b+\cdots+z}`	Underbrace

🔸 Functions

This category focuses on LaTeX symbols for trigonometric, logarithmic, exponential, and other mathematical functions, including min/max and set operations.

Function	LaTeX Code	Description
	`\sin\theta`	Sine
	`\cos\theta`	Cosine
	`\tan\theta`	Tangent
	`\cot\theta`	Cotangent
	`\sec\theta`	Secant
	`\csc\theta`	Cosecant
	`\arcsin\frac{L}{r}`	Arcsine (Inverse sine)
	`\arccos\frac{T}{r}`	Arccosine (Inverse cosine)
	`\arctan\frac{L}{T}`	Arctangent (Inverse tangent)
	`\sinh g`	Hyperbolic sine
	`\cosh h`	Hyperbolic cosine
	`\tanh i`	Hyperbolic tangent
	`\exp\!t`	Exponential function
	`\ln X`	Natural logarithm
	`\lg X`	Base-10 logarithm (common logarithm)
	`\log X`	General logarithm
	`\log_{10}`	Logarithm base 10
	`\log_\alpha X`	Logarithm with an arbitrary base $α$
	`\min L`	Minimum value
	`\inf s`	Infimum – the greatest lower bound of a set
	`\sup t`	Supremum – the least upper bound of a set
	`\max H`	Maximum value
	`\deg x`	Degree of a polynomial
	`\arg x`	Argument (angle) of a complex number
	`\ker g`	Kernel of a function
	`\lim_{t\to n}T`	Limit
	`\dim x`	Dimension of a vector space or object

🔸 Matrix formatting in LaTeX

This symbol set illustrates how to build matrices using various delimiters, align elements, and use ellipses for generalized matrix notation.

Symbol	LaTeX Code	Description
	`\begin{matrix} a & b \\ c & d \end{matrix}`	A plain matrix with no delimiters.
	`\begin{pmatrix} a & b \\ c & d \end{pmatrix}`	A matrix enclosed in parentheses `( )`.
	`\begin{bmatrix} a & b \\ c & d \end{bmatrix}`	A matrix enclosed in square brackets `[ ]`
	`\begin{Bmatrix} a & b \\ c & d \end{Bmatrix}`	A matrix enclosed in curly braces `{ }`
	`\begin{vmatrix} a & b \\ c & d \end{vmatrix}`	A matrix enclosed in single vertical bars, used to denote determinants
	`\begin{Vmatrix} a & b \\ c & d \end{Vmatrix}`	A matrix enclosed in double vertical bars, often used for norms
	`\begin{bmatrix} a_{11} & a_{12} & \cdots & a_{1n} \\ a_{21} & a_{22} & \cdots & a_{2n} \\ \vdots & \vdots & \ddots & \vdots \\ a_{m1} & a_{m2} & \cdots & a_{mn} \end{bmatrix}`	General form of an $\times n$ matrix using ellipsis and diagonal dots
	`&`	Separates matrix columns
	`\\`	Ends the current matrix row
	`\cdots`	Horizontal ellipsis (for continued values in a row)
	`\vdots`	Vertical ellipsis (for continued values in a column)
	`\ddots`	Diagonal ellipsis (used in square matrices)

🔸 Multiline equations

This part of the guide shows how to align and format multi-line equations to break complex formulas across lines or show step-by-step solutions.

Symbol	LaTeX Code	Description
	\begin{align} a + b + c &= d + e \\ x + y &= z \end{align}	Aligns the `=` signs vertically and numbers both equations
	\begin{array}{lcl} a + b + c & = & d \\ x + y & = & m + n \end{array}	Left alignment
	\begin{array}{lcr} a + b + c & = & d \\ x + y & = & m + n \end{array}	Right alignment
	\[ \begin{cases} x + 2y + 3z = 14 \\ 2x - y + z = 3 \\ -x + y - 2z = -5 \end{cases} \]	Simultaneous equations

🔸 Geometric symbols

This set features LaTeX math symbols used in geometry, such as angles or triangles, and relational positions like perpendicularity or parallelism.

Symbol	LaTeX Code	Description
	`\Box`	Box
	`\Diamond`	Diamond
	`\triangle`	Triangle
	`\angle`	Angle
	`\perp`	Perpendicular
	`\mid`	Divides
	`\nmid`	Does not divide
	`\\|`	Parallel

🔸 Sets and relational symbols

The LaTeX commands that cover set theory notations, including membership, unions, intersections, subsets, and related relational symbols.

Symbol	LaTeX Code	Description
	`\forall`	For all
	`\exists`	There exists
	`\in`	Element of
	`\ni`	Contains as a member
	`\subset`	Subset of
	`\subseteq`	Subset or equal to
	`\supset`	Superset of
	`\supseteq`	Superset or equal to
	`\sqcap`	Square intersection
	`\sqcup`	Square union
	`\cup`	Union
	`\bigcup_1^{k} p`	Union over multiple indexed sets
	`\cap`	Intersection
	`\bigcap_1^{n} p`	Intersection over multiple indexed sets
	`\emptyset`	Empty set
	`\setminus`	Set difference
	`\notin`	Not an element of
	`\biguplus`	Disjoint union

🔸 Logical operators and arrows

LaTeX syntax for logical symbols and various directional arrows, which are often used in proofs, logic statements, and function mappings.

Symbol	LaTeX Code	Description
∧	`\land`	Logical AND
∨	`\lor`	Logical OR
¬	`\lnot` or `\neg`	Logical NOT
⇒	`\Rightarrow`	Implies
⇔	`\Leftrightarrow`	If and only if
←	`\leftarrow` or `\gets`	Left arrow
→	`\rightarrow` or `\to`	Right arrow
↔	`\leftrightarrow`	Left-right arrow
↦	`\mapsto`	Maps to
↩	`\hookleftarrow`	Hook left arrow
↪	`\hookrightarrow`	Hook right arrow
↗	`\nearrow`	Northeast arrow
↘	`\searrow`	Southeast arrow
↙	`\swarrow`	Southwest arrow
↖	`\nwarrow`	Northwest arrow
↑	`\uparrow`	Up arrow
↓	\downarrow	Down arrow

🔸 Special symbols

The group of LaTeX math symbols for number sets and calculus operators, such as partial derivatives and gradients.

Symbol	LaTeX Code	Description
ℕ	`\mathbb{N}`	A set of natural numbers
ℤ	`\mathbb{Z}`	Integers
ℚ	`\mathbb{Q}`	Rationals
ℝ	`\mathbb{R}`	Reals
ℂ	`\mathbb{C}`	Complex numbers
∇	`\nabla`	Nabla (gradient)
∂	`\partial`	Partial derivative

🔸 Greek letters

This section provides LaTeX math commands for lowercase Greek letters commonly used in mathematical notation, variables, and constants across various disciplines.

Symbol	LaTeX Code
	\alpha \beta \gamma \delta \epsilon \zeta
	\eta \theta \iota \kappa \lambda \mu
	\nu \xi \pi \rho \sigma \tau
	\upsilon \phi \chi \psi \omega

This guide covers a wide range of LaTeX math commands for creating clear and professional-looking equations. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. We're always glad to help you get the most out of LaTeX in Confluence and enhance the way you add formulas and equations in your documentation.

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