Division Symbol Copy and Paste (÷)
Division sign (obelus)
Unicode U+00F7 · HTML ÷ · Alt code Alt+246 or Alt+0247 · Mac Option+/
Tap any symbol to copy it. Each tap also adds it to the box above, so you can copy several together.
Codes for every symbol on this page (Unicode, HTML, emoji version)
| Symbol | Name | Unicode | HTML | Emoji version | Windows Alt code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ÷ | Division sign (obelus) | U+00F7 | ÷ | - | Alt+246, Alt+0247 |
| / | Slash | U+002F | / | - | Alt+47 |
| ∕ | Division slash | U+2215 | ∕ | - | - |
| ⁄ | Fraction slash | U+2044 | ⁄ | - | - |
| ➗ | Bold division | U+2797 | ➗ | 1.0 | - |
| ∣ | Divides | U+2223 | ∣ | - | - |
The divide symbol is ÷, a short line with a dot above and a dot below. It means "divided by", so 84 ÷ 7 = 12 is read as "84 divided by 7 equals 12". Its formal name is the obelus, but most people simply call it the division symbol, the divided symbol or the divided by symbol.
Copy ÷ from the box above, or tap the grid for the slash /, the fraction slash ⁄, the bold ➗ or the "divides" bar ∣. This page shows how to type ÷ on Windows, Mac, Word and phones, when to use / instead, and how ratio and long division are written. It sits with the other operation signs on our maths symbols hub.
Divide Symbol on Keyboard
Standard keyboards sold in India have no separate division symbol on keyboard rows, so you need a shortcut. Here is how to get the divide symbol in keyboard-only typing on each device.
| Where | How to type ÷ |
|---|---|
| Windows | Num Lock on, hold Alt, type 0247 on the number pad. Alt+246 also works in most programs. |
| Mac | Option+/ |
| Microsoft Word | Type 00F7, press Alt+X |
| Google Docs | Insert > Special characters, search "division" |
| Android | On many Android keyboards, including Gboard, tap ?123 then =\< to find ÷ |
| iPhone | Not on the standard keyboard; copy it from this page |
| HTML | ÷ |
Alt codes need the separate number pad on the right of a full keyboard. The division symbol in keyboard shortcuts above all give the same character. If you are on a laptop and wondering how to type the division symbol on laptop keys alone, use the Word code, the Mac shortcut, or copy it from here.
Divide Symbol in Word
- Click where you want the sign.
- Type
00F7(zero, zero, F, seven). - Press Alt+X. The code turns into ÷.
Other ways: go to Insert > Symbol > More Symbols and pick ÷ from the Latin-1 Supplement subset, or insert an equation (Insert > Equation) and type \div followed by a space. For a stacked fraction in an equation, type 3/4 and press space; Word builds a proper fraction.
÷ vs / and Other Division Signs
| Symbol | Name | Use |
|---|---|---|
| ÷ | Obelus | Primary school sums: 45 ÷ 9 = 5 |
| / | Slash | Fractions on one line (3/4), Excel, calculators and code: =A2/B2 |
| ∕ | Division slash | A maths version of / used in typesetting |
| ⁄ | Fraction slash | Builds neat fractions like 1⁄2 in some fonts |
| ∣ | Divides | Number theory: 3 ∣ 12 means 3 divides 12 exactly, with no remainder |
| ➗ | Heavy division sign | Emoji-style, for chats and posters |
In higher classes, ÷ slowly disappears and division is written as a fraction: 12 ÷ 4 becomes 12/4 or a stacked fraction. Excel, Google Sheets and programming languages only understand the slash /. Typing ÷ in a formula gives an error. More about the slash key is on the slash symbol page.
Ratio Symbol and Long Division Symbol
Ratio
The ratio symbol is a colon :, read as "is to". If a class has 18 boys and 12 girls, the ratio is 18 : 12, which simplifies to 3 : 2 (divide both by 6). A ratio is really a division in disguise: 3 : 2 is the same as 3 ÷ 2 = 1.5. Note that in engineering, the damping ratio symbol is the Greek letter ζ (zeta), which is a name for a quantity, not an operation. The colon itself is covered on the colon symbol page.
Long division
For long division, Indian school books usually write the divisor on the left with a bracket, the dividend in the middle and the quotient on the right, like 7 ) 952 ( 136. Many other countries draw a bar over the dividend instead. Unicode has a long division character ⟌, but it is missing from many fonts, so for homework it is easier to draw by hand. Check the answer: 7 × 136 = 952, so the remainder is 0.
Division Examples and Common Errors
- Exact division: 144 ÷ 12 = 12.
- With a remainder: 50 ÷ 8 = 6 remainder 2, or 6.25 as a decimal.
- Order of operations: 20 − 12 ÷ 4 = 20 − 3 = 17. Divide before you subtract.
- Sharing money: ₹1,200 ÷ 4 friends = ₹300 each.
- Dividing by zero: 9 ÷ 0 has no answer. In Excel,
=A2/0shows the error#DIV/0!.
Division and multiplication undo each other: 136 × 7 = 952. Learn the × sign on the multiplication symbol page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I type the divide symbol on keyboard?
On Windows, hold Alt and type 0247 on the number pad with Num Lock on. On a Mac, press Option and / together. In Word, type 00F7 and press Alt+X.
What is the symbol of division called?
The ÷ sign is called the obelus. In everyday speech it is just the division sign or divided by sign.
Which symbol is used to divide in Excel?
Excel uses the forward slash /, for example =B2/C2. The ÷ sign only works as text, not inside a formula.
Is 3/4 the same as 3 ÷ 4?
Yes. A fraction bar means division, so 3/4 = 3 ÷ 4 = 0.75.
What does the symbol ∣ mean in maths?
∣ means "divides". Writing 5 ∣ 35 says that 5 divides 35 exactly. It is a statement, not a calculation, so it has no answer.