# How do I type Superscripts

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-type-superscripts/224811>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 16, 2004, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-type-superscripts/224811 "2004-01-16T18:31:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 10\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![murphydog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@murphydog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/murphydog)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-type-superscripts/224811/1 "2004-01-16T18:31:38Z")

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If I want to display “4 squared” I could type in “4^2”  
but some wouldn’t no what that means.

I have seen some math equations where the superscript (exponent) is where  
it is supposed to be.

How do they do that?

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**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-type-superscripts/224811/2 "2004-01-16T18:35:17Z")

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It can’t be done. See? 4[sup]2[/sup]

Hint: “quote” my response and it will show the code.

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**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-type-superscripts/224811/3 "2004-01-16T21:35:54Z")

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> [@ShibbOleth](#):
>
> It can’t be done. See? 4[sup]2[/sup]
> 
> Hint: “quote” my response and it will show the code.

Unless you want _sub_script.  
That would be 4[sub]2[/sub]  
Peace,  
mangeorge

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**Author:** ![Madness2MyMethod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Madness2MyMethod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madness2MyMethod)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-type-superscripts/224811/4 "2004-01-16T22:02:22Z")

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> [@mangeorge](#):
>
> Unless you want _sub_script.  
> That would be 4[sub]2[/sub]  
> Peace,  
> mangeorge

¿que hora es?

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**Author:** ![Madness2MyMethod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Madness2MyMethod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madness2MyMethod)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-type-superscripts/224811/5 "2004-01-16T22:11:14Z")

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> [@Madness2MyMethod](#):
>
> ¿que hora es?

Sorry, I thought you could subscript and superscript using extended ASCII codes, but there is only a square code ²

here are some neat ones:  
╔╗  
╚╬╬╬ ■ ¥ █ ▄ ▓ ▒ ░ Ω

whatever! Find you an ascii table (here is one: [http://www.asciitable.com/](http://www.asciitable.com/)) , then press and hold the “alt” key on your keyboard while you punch in the code, then release the alt key.

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**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-type-superscripts/224811/6 "2004-01-16T22:21:48Z")

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> [@Madness2MyMethod](#):
>
> ¿que hora es?

I don’t understand the question.  
What time is it? My teenager spanish is pretty rusty.

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**Author:** ![Tinker\_Grey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tinker_grey/32/8136_2.png) [@Tinker\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinker_Grey)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-type-superscripts/224811/7 "2004-01-16T22:31:17Z")

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4[\*\*\*\*\*\*sup]2[/sup] equals 4[sup]2[/sup]

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**Author:** ![Lagged2Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ac8455/32.png) [@Lagged2Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lagged2Death)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-type-superscripts/224811/8 "2004-01-16T22:47:15Z")

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There’s a guide to the markup codes [here.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/misc.php?do=bbcode)

I think the “About This Message Board” forum might have gotten you a better answer sooner.

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**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-type-superscripts/224811/9 "2004-01-16T23:20:07Z")

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**Madness To My Method**  
That is an okay website you posted for ASCII symbols (if you like squinting). However, IMHO a better site is [www.1728.com/altchar.htm](http://www.1728.com/altchar.htm)  
It is a page on my website.

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**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2004, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-type-superscripts/224811/10 "2004-01-17T02:30:21Z")

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> [@murphydog](#):
>
> If I want to display “4 squared” I could type in “4^2”  
> but some wouldn’t no what that means.

most of us new