Division Symbol ÷ Copy & Paste: Obelus, Slash & Keyboard

The division symbol (÷), formally called the obelus, represents the mathematical operation of division. Whether you learned it as "divided by," "over," or "the quotient of," this symbol is fundamental in arithmetic. Every variation is below, ready to copy.

All Division Symbols

What Does the Division Symbol Mean?

The obelus (÷) means "divided by." In the expression 12 ÷ 4 = 3, the 12 is the dividend, the 4 is the divisor, and the 3 is the quotient. Division is the inverse operation of multiplication: if 3 × 4 = 12, then 12 ÷ 4 = 3.

Different Ways to Write Division

• Obelus: 12 ÷ 4 (common in elementary math)
• Solidus: 12/4 (common in algebra and programming)
• Fraction bar: A horizontal line with numerator on top and denominator below
• Colon: 12 : 4 (common in some European countries and ratios)

The History of the Obelus

The ÷ symbol was first used by Swiss mathematician Johann Rahn in his 1659 book "Teutsche Algebra." Before that, division was written as a fraction or using words. The word "obelus" comes from Greek, where it originally referred to a sharpened stick used to mark questionable passages in manuscripts. The dots above and below the line represent the dividend (top) and divisor (bottom), similar to a fraction.

Interestingly, the ÷ symbol is not universally used. In many non-English-speaking countries, the colon (:) is preferred for division. In programming, the forward slash (/) is universal because it exists on all keyboards.

How to Type the Division Symbol

Windows

• Hold Alt and type 0247 on the numeric keypad
• Microsoft Word: type 00F7 then press Alt+X
• Or use Character Map: search for "division"

Mac

• Press Option + / to type ÷
• Or use Character Viewer: Control+Command+Space, search "division"

Linux

• Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 00F7, press Enter

iPhone & Android

• iPhone: Tap ?123, then #+=. The ÷ key is on the numbers keyboard. Or copy from this page.
• Android: Tap ?123, then =/<. The ÷ is available in the symbols section. Or copy from above.

LaTeX and HTML Codes

Division in Programming

In programming, division uses the forward slash (/). However, there is an important distinction: integer division vs floating-point division. In Python 3, 10 / 3 returns 3.333 (float division), while 10 // 3 returns 3 (integer division, floor division). In C and Java, 10 / 3 with integers returns 3, and you need to write 10.0 / 3 to get the decimal result.

Division by Zero

Division by zero is undefined in standard arithmetic. The expression a ÷ 0 has no meaning because there is no number that, multiplied by zero, gives a non-zero result. In calculus, dividing by numbers approaching zero produces infinity, but the exact division 1 ÷ 0 is undefined. In programming, it causes an error or returns Infinity/NaN.

Related Symbols

• Multiplication (×): The inverse operation of division
• Fraction slash (⁄): Used for inline fractions
• Ratio (:): Sometimes used for division in certain countries
• Long division (⟌): The bracket used in long division problems