# Who developed the math operators + - / x?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-developed-the-math-operators-x/1002406>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 2, 2024, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-developed-the-math-operators-x/1002406 "2024-06-02T02:33:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2024, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-developed-the-math-operators-x/1002406/21 "2024-06-16T02:35:06Z")

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> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#):
>
> …unambiguously signifies division…

Except it does not _unambiguously_ signify division; the Wiki article even includes photographic evidence of a form where it is a variant minus sign.

My calculator does have +, −, ÷, and ×, though.

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2024, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-developed-the-math-operators-x/1002406/22 "2024-06-16T02:41:54Z")

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It’s also fairly easy to mistake for a + sign, at a glance.

Although, / is fairly easy to mistake for an italicized 1, I, l, or |, so I’m not sure that’s the biggest advantage.

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