Division Sign (÷)

The division sign (÷), also called the obelus, means 'divided by' — 20 ÷ 4 = 5.

Division Sign · U+00F7 · Math Symbols

Click the symbol or the button to copy it, then paste it anywhere — documents, messages, bios and code.

Division Sign codes

Code	Value
Unicode code point	`U+00F7`
Unicode name	`Division Sign`
HTML named entity	`÷`
HTML decimal	`÷`
HTML hex	`÷`
CSS content code	`\F7`
JavaScript / JSON	`\u00F7`
Windows Alt code	`Alt+0247`
LaTeX	`\div`

Division Sign variants (5)

5 related glyphs — click any tile to copy it. Tiles with a page open that symbol's own page.

∕Division Slash⁄Fraction Slash/Solidus ×Multiplication Sign⊘Circled Division Slash

Meaning & usage

The ÷ sign is a fraction in miniature: a line with a dot above and below, standing for the two numbers it separates. It is the first division symbol children meet in school, though later maths switches to fraction bars and slashes.

Its name, obelus, is shared with the dagger † family of old text marks. In some European countries ÷ historically meant subtraction, which is why calculators there treat it carefully.

Examples in use

12 ÷ 3 = 4
Split the bill: $86 ÷ 4 people
100 ÷ 25 = 4 remainder 0

How to type the division sign

Windows

Hold the Alt key and type 0247 on the numeric keypad (Num Lock on), then release Alt. The code is Alt+0247. It also works in Word with the same keys.

Mac

Press Option+/ (Mac, US keyboard layout).

iPhone & Android

Most phone keyboards have no built-in key for ÷. Open this page on your phone, tap Copy, then paste it into your message or bio. (On Android, Gboard's emoji search finds some symbols by name.)

Linux

Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 00f7 and press Enter (works in most GTK apps and terminals with IBus). Or copy it from this page.

Frequently asked questions

Why don't calculators show ÷ much?

Calculators and computers use / for division because it is on every keyboard and matches fraction notation. The ÷ sign survives in school maths and print.

How do I type ÷ on Windows?

Hold Alt and type 0247 on the numeric keypad. On a Mac, press Option+/ — one of the few maths symbols with a proper Mac shortcut.

Why does ÷ sometimes show as a box or question mark?

The box (called tofu) means the device or font viewing it has no drawing for U+00F7 (Division Sign). The character itself is fine — try a different font or a newer device, or use one of the variants on this page.

Is the Division Sign free to use?

Yes. ÷ is a standard Unicode text character published in the Unicode Character Database. You may use it in personal and commercial documents, designs and products without permission or payment.

Related symbols

×Multiplication Sign ±Plus-Minus Symbol