Math symbols
Plus Minus Symbol
Copy ± or ∓. Build a tolerance below. Copy ± or ∓, or write a tolerance and see both endpoints.
Select a symbol to copy it.
Expressions are built in your browser. Your input and clipboard text are not sent to ToolNeko's server. Preview pasted text in the destination app.
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A center, a tolerance, and two endpoints
For a symmetric tolerance, 10 ± 2 gives a lower value of 8 and an upper value of 12. The writer accepts a nonnegative tolerance and calculates center minus tolerance and center plus tolerance. Zero tolerance is allowed and gives the same value at both ends.
The result is not automatically a statistical confidence interval. In laboratory or statistical writing, ± might indicate a standard deviation, standard error, or another measure, which the author must name. This tool does not infer uncertainty from observations or assign a probability to the interval.
± and ∓ in paired expressions
The plus-minus sign ± is U+00B1. Its reverse, ∓, is U+2213 MINUS-OR-PLUS SIGN. In paired mathematical expressions, taking the upper sign in one often means taking the upper sign in the other. Follow the equation rather than choosing signs independently.
In plain text, +/- is a common fallback when a system cannot accept ±. The mathematical minus − is different from the keyboard hyphen-minus -. Use the plain ASCII character when an application requires it for numeric input or code.
Keyboard shortcuts and code formats
On Windows in Microsoft Word, type the character's hexadecimal code and press Alt + X. This is a Word shortcut, not a universal browser shortcut. On a Mac, open Character Viewer and search for the character's name. On a phone, copying a character above avoids switching keyboard layouts.
Plain-text symbols work in ordinary text fields. LaTeX commands require a math environment; pasting a command into a chat does not automatically typeset it. HTML entities are for source code, not a replacement for the character in a normal message.
Sources and standards
Frequently asked questions
How do I type the plus minus symbol?
Copy ± above. In Word on Windows, type 00B1 and press Alt + X. In a LaTeX math environment, use \pm.
What is the HTML code for ±?
Use ± or ± in HTML source. For a normal message or document, copy the character itself.
What does 20 ± 3 mean?
As a symmetric tolerance, it spans 17 to 23. In an algebraic two-solution expression, it represents the two values 20 + 3 and 20 − 3; context determines the intended use.
Can the tolerance be negative or a percent?
This writer uses an absolute, nonnegative tolerance in the same unit as the center. Convert a percentage into an absolute amount first; do not enter a percent sign.