Latin letters used in mathematics, science, and engineering
Many letters of the Latin alphabet , both capital and small, are used in mathematics , science , and engineering to denote by convention specific or abstracted constants, variables of a certain type, units, multipliers, or physical entities. Certain letters, when combined with special formatting, take on special meaning.
Below is an alphabetical list of the letters of the alphabet with some of their uses. The field in which the convention applies is mathematics unless otherwise noted.
Typographical variation
Some common conventions:
Typographical variations of Latin letters in Unicode
Name
Sub-type
Alphabet
Double-struck
Mathematical
𝔸 𝔹 ℂ 𝔻 𝔼 𝔽 𝔾 ℍ 𝕀 𝕁 𝕂 𝕃 𝕄 ℕ 𝕆 ℙ ℚ ℝ 𝕊 𝕋 𝕌 𝕍 𝕎 𝕏 𝕐 ℤ
𝕒 𝕓 𝕔 𝕕 𝕖 𝕗 𝕘 𝕙 𝕚 𝕛 𝕜 𝕝 𝕞 𝕟 𝕠 𝕡 𝕢 𝕣 𝕤 𝕥 𝕦 𝕧 𝕨 𝕩 𝕪 𝕫
Italic
ⅆ ⅇ ⅈ ⅉ ⅅ
Script/Calligraphy
Mathematical
𝒜 ℬ 𝒞 𝒟 ℰ ℱ 𝒢 ℋ ℐ 𝒥 𝒦 ℒ ℳ 𝒩 𝒪 𝒫 𝒬 ℛ 𝒮 𝒯 𝒰 𝒱 𝒲 𝒳 𝒴 𝒵
𝒶 𝒷 𝒸 𝒹 ℯ 𝒻 ℊ 𝒽 𝒾 𝒿 𝓀 𝓁 𝓂 𝓃 ℴ 𝓅 𝓆 𝓇 𝓈 𝓉 𝓊 𝓋 𝓌 𝓍 𝓎 𝓏
Mathematical Bold
𝓐 𝓑 𝓒 𝓓 𝓔 𝓕 𝓖 𝓗 𝓘 𝓙 𝓚 𝓛 𝓜 𝓝 𝓞 𝓟 𝓠 𝓡 𝓢 𝓣 𝓤 𝓥 𝓦 𝓧 𝓨 𝓩
𝓪 𝓫 𝓬 𝓭 𝓮 𝓯 𝓰 𝓱 𝓲 𝓳 𝓴 𝓵 𝓶 𝓷 𝓸 𝓹 𝓺 𝓻 𝓼 𝓽 𝓾 𝓿 𝔀 𝔁 𝔂 𝔃
Fraktur
Mathematical
𝔄 𝔅 ℭ 𝔇 𝔈 𝔉 𝔊 ℌ ℑ 𝔍 𝔎 𝔏 𝔐 𝔑 𝔒 𝔓 𝔔 ℜ 𝔖 𝔗 𝔘 𝔙 𝔚 𝔛 𝔜 ℨ
𝔞 𝔟 𝔠 𝔡 𝔢 𝔣 𝔤 𝔥 𝔦 𝔧 𝔨 𝔩 𝔪 𝔫 𝔬 𝔭 𝔮 𝔯 𝔰 𝔱 𝔲 𝔳 𝔴 𝔵 𝔶 𝔷
Mathematical Bold
𝕬 𝕭 𝕮 𝕯 𝕰 𝕱 𝕲 𝕳 𝕴 𝕵 𝕶 𝕷 𝕸 𝕹 𝕺 𝕻 𝕼 𝕽 𝕾 𝕿 𝖀 𝖁 𝖂 𝖃 𝖄 𝖅
𝖆 𝖇 𝖈 𝖉 𝖊 𝖋 𝖌 𝖍 𝖎 𝖏𝖐 𝖑 𝖒 𝖓 𝖔 𝖕 𝖖 𝖗 𝖘 𝖙 𝖚 𝖛 𝖜 𝖝 𝖞 𝖟
Mono-space
Mathematical
𝙰 𝙱 𝙲 𝙳 𝙴 𝙵 𝙶 𝙷 𝙸 𝙹 𝙺 𝙻 𝙼 𝙽 𝙾 𝙿 𝚀 𝚁 𝚂 𝚃 𝚄 𝚅 𝚆 𝚇 𝚈 𝚉
𝚊 𝚋 𝚌 𝚍 𝚎 𝚏 𝚐 𝚑 𝚒 𝚓 𝚔 𝚕 𝚖 𝚗 𝚘 𝚙 𝚚 𝚛 𝚜 𝚝 𝚞 𝚟 𝚠 𝚡 𝚢 𝚣
Aa
Bb
B represents:
the digit "11" in hexadecimal [ 2] and other positional numeral systems with a radix of 12 or greater[ 3]
the second point of a triangle[ 1]
a ball (also denoted by ℬ (
B
{\displaystyle {\mathcal {B}}}
) or
B
{\displaystyle \mathbb {B} }
)[ 17]
a basis of a vector space or of a filter (both also denoted by ℬ (
B
{\displaystyle {\mathcal {B}}}
))
in econometrics and time-series statistics it is often used for the backshift or lag operator , the formal parameter of the lag polynomial
the magnetic field , denoted
B
{\displaystyle {\textbf {B}}}
or
B
→ → -->
{\displaystyle {\vec {B}}}
B with various subscripts represents several variations of Brun's constant and Betti numbers ; it can also be used to mean the Bernoulli numbers .
b represents:
Cc
C represents:
C
{\displaystyle \mathbb {C} }
represents the set of complex numbers .
A vertically elongated C with an integer subscript n sometimes denotes the n-th coefficient of a formal power series .
c represents:
Lowercase Fraktur
c
{\displaystyle {\mathfrak {c}}}
denotes the cardinality of the set of real numbers (the "continuum"), or, equivalently, of the power set of natural numbers.
Dd
D represents
d represents
Ee
E represents:
e represents:
Euler's number , a transcendental number equal to 2.71828182845... which is used as the base for natural logarithms
a vector of unit length, especially in the direction of one of the coordinates axes
the elementary charge in physics
an electron , usually denoted e− to distinguish against a positron e+
the eccentricity of a conic section
the identity element in a group
In a cartesian coordinate system , a unit vector in notations like
(
e
^ ^ -->
x
,
e
^ ^ -->
y
,
e
^ ^ -->
z
)
{\displaystyle (\mathbf {\hat {e}} _{x},\mathbf {\hat {e}} _{y},\mathbf {\hat {e}} _{z})}
, or
(
e
^ ^ -->
1
,
e
^ ^ -->
2
,
e
^ ^ -->
3
)
{\displaystyle (\mathbf {\hat {e}} _{1},\mathbf {\hat {e}} _{2},\mathbf {\hat {e}} _{3})}
Ff
F represents
F represents
f represents:
f represents:
Gg
G represents
g represents:
Hh
Ii
I represents:
I represents:
i represents:
the imaginary unit , a complex number that is the square root of −1
Imaginary quaternion unit
a subscript to denote the i th term (that is, a general term or index) in a sequence or list
the index to the elements of a vector, written as a subscript after the vector name
the index to the rows of a matrix , written as the first subscript after the matrix name
an index of summation using the sigma notation
the unit vector in Cartesian coordinates going in the x-direction, usually bold i
Jj
J represents:
J represents:
the scheme of a diagram in category theory
j represents:
Kk
K represents:
k represents
Ll
L represents:
l represents:
the unit of volume the litre (often avoided due to confusion with the number 1 and uppercase letter I)
the length of a side of a rectangle or a cuboid (e.g. V = lwh; A = lw)
the last term of a sequence or series (e.g. Sn = n(a+l)/2)
the orbital angular momentum quantum number [ 21]
ℒ (
L
{\displaystyle {\mathcal {L}}}
) represents:
ℓ represents:
Mm
M represents:
m represents:
Nn
Oo
O represents
o represents
O
{\displaystyle \mathbb {O} }
represents
Pp
P represents:
P
{\displaystyle \mathbb {P} }
represents
p represents
Qq
Q represents:
Q
{\displaystyle \mathbb {Q} }
represents the rational numbers
q represents:
Rr
R represents:
R
{\displaystyle \mathbb {R} }
represents the set of real numbers and various algebraic structures built upon the set of real numbers, such as
R
n
{\displaystyle \mathbb {R} ^{n}}
.
r represents:
Ss
S represents
s represents:
𝒮 (
S
{\displaystyle {\mathcal {S}}}
) represents a system's action in physics
S
{\displaystyle \mathbb {S} }
represents
Tt
T represents:
t represents:
T
{\displaystyle \mathbb {T} }
represents
Uu
U represents:
U(n ) represents the unitary group of degree n
∪ represents the union operator
u represents:
Vv
V represents:
v represents
Ww
W represents:
w represents:
Xx
X represents
Ẋ represents
x represents
Yy
Y represents:
Y represents:
y represents:
Zz
Z represents:
Z
{\displaystyle \mathbb {Z} }
represents the integers
z represents:
See also
References
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^ a b "Hexadecimal - Hexadecimal and character sets - GCSE Computer Science Revision" . BBC Bitesize . Retrieved 2022-03-21 .
^ a b "DECIMAL function" . support.microsoft.com . Retrieved 2022-03-22 .
^ "BIPM - SI base units" . bipm.org . 2014-10-07. Archived from the original on 2014-10-07.
^ a b "BIPM - SI derived units" . bipm.org . 2014-10-07. Archived from the original on 2014-10-07. Retrieved 2022-03-22 .
^ Jensen, William B. (December 2005). "The Origins of the Symbols A and Z for Atomic Weight and Number" . Journal of Chemical Education . 82 (12): 1764. Bibcode :2005JChEd..82.1764J . doi :10.1021/ed082p1764 . ISSN 0021-9584 .
^ "22.1: Helmholtz Energy" . Chemistry LibreTexts . 2014-06-21. Retrieved 2022-03-23 .
^ "The magnetic vector potential" . farside.ph.utexas.edu . Retrieved 2022-03-21 .
^ Weisstein, Eric W. "Glaisher-Kinkelin Constant" . mathworld.wolfram.com . Retrieved 2022-03-21 .
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq cr cs ct cu cv cw cx cy cz da db dc Stohner, Jürgen; Quack, Martin (2011). "A Concise Summary of Quantities, Units, and Symbols in Physical Chemistry" (PDF) . Chemistry International . 33 (4). De Gruyter : Centerfold.
^ "6.2.3.1: Arrhenius Equation" . Chemistry LibreTexts . 2013-10-02. Retrieved 2022-04-03 .
^ Weisstein, Eric W. "Algebraic Number" . mathworld.wolfram.com . Retrieved 2022-03-22 .
^ Liebscher, Dierck-Ekkehard (2005). Cosmology . Berlin: Springer. pp. 53–77. ISBN 9783540232612 .
^ Conversion factors and tables. Part 1. Basis of tables. Conversion factors . British Standards Institution (3rd revision ed.). London: BSI. 1974. p. 7. ISBN 0-580-08471-X . OCLC 32212391 .{{cite book }}
: CS1 maint: others (link )
^ Conversion factors and tables. Part 1. Basis of tables. Conversion factors . British Standards Institution (3rd revision ed.). London: BSI. 1974. p. 4. ISBN 0-580-08471-X . OCLC 32212391 .{{cite book }}
: CS1 maint: others (link )
^ "Arithmetic Progression - Formula, Examples | AP Formula" . Cuemath . Retrieved 2022-03-24 .
^ Weisstein, Eric W. "Ball" . mathworld.wolfram.com . Retrieved 2022-03-24 .
^ Prasad, Paras N. (16 January 2004). Introduction to Biophotonics . John Wiley & Sons. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-471-46539-3 .
^ Quantities, Units and Symbols in Physical Chemistry . International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. 1993. p. 20. ISBN 0-632-03583-8 .
^ "6.4.1: Eyring equation" . Chemistry LibreTexts . 2013-10-02. Retrieved 2022-04-03 .
^ "Quantum Numbers for Atoms" . Chemistry LibreTexts . 2013-10-02. Retrieved 2022-04-07 .
^ a b c d e f Kardar, Mehran (2007). Statistical Physics of Particles . Cambridge University Press . ISBN 978-0-521-87342-0 . OCLC 860391091 .
^ a b "Analytical Compendium" (PDF) . Archived from the original (PDF) on May 5, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2023 .
^ a b "Velocity, acceleration and distance - Motion - Edexcel - GCSE Physics (Single Science) Revision - Edexcel" . BBC Bitesize . Retrieved 2022-03-26 .
^ "frequency | Definition, Symbols, & Formulas | Britannica" . www.britannica.com . Retrieved 2022-03-26 .
^ Durrer, Ruth (2021). The cosmic microwave background (2nd ed.). Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-316-47152-4 . OCLC 1182021387 .
^ Quantities, Units and Symbols in Physical Chemistry . International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. 1993. p. 56. ISBN 0-632-03583-8 .
Typographical conventions and notations