For example, if x = 3, then − x = −3, but if x = −3, then − x = +3. The function whose value for any real or complex argument is the additive inverse of that argument.The subtraction operator: a binary operator to indicate the operation of subtraction, as in 5 − 3 = 2.The minus sign, −, has three main uses in mathematics: Not to be confused with Hyphen, Hyphen-minus, or Dash. The − may be derived from a tilde written over ⟨m⟩ when used to indicate subtraction or it may come from a shorthand version of the letter ⟨m⟩ itself. The + sign is a simplification of the Latin: et (comparable to the evolution of the ampersand &). The symbols (P with overline, p̄, for più (more), i.e., plus, and M with overline, m̄, for meno (less), i.e., minus) appeared for the first time in Luca Pacioli's mathematics compendium, Summa de arithmetica, geometria, proportioni et proportionalità, first printed and published in Venice in 1494. In early 15th century Europe, the letters 'P' and 'M' were generally used. Nicole Oresme's manuscripts from the 14th century show what may be one of the earliest uses of + as a sign for plus. The Egyptian hieroglyphic sign for addition, for example, resembled a pair of legs walking in the direction in which the text was written ( Egyptian could be written either from right to left or left to right), with the reverse sign indicating subtraction: Though the signs now seem as familiar as the alphabet or the Hindu-Arabic numerals, they are not of great antiquity.

Plus minus symbol calcpad