Multiplication sign

Also called times sign.

How to type it

Mac: Character Viewer (Control + Command + Space), search "multiplication". Windows: Alt + 0215 on the number pad.

Common uses

• The multiplication sign shows that two numbers are multiplied, as in 6 × 7 = 42.
• It also appears in dimensions, such as a 4 × 6 photo or a 2 × 4 board.

Less common uses

• The × for multiplication first appeared in 1618, in an appendix probably by William Oughtred, who popularized it in his 1631 book.
• The letter x looks similar but is a different character, so typeset text should use × rather than x.
• Programming languages and spreadsheets write multiplication as an asterisk *, because × is not on most keyboards.