Greek letters used in mathematics, science, and engineering

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Greek letters are used in mathematics, science, engineering, and other areas where mathematical notation is used as symbols for constants, special functions, and also conventionally for variables representing certain quantities. In these contexts, the capital letters and the small letters represent distinct and unrelated entities. Those Greek letters which have the same form as Latin letters are rarely used: capital A, B, E, Z, H, I, K, M, N, O, P, T, Y, X. Small ι, ο and υ are also rarely used, since they closely resemble the Latin letters i, o and u. Sometimes, font variants of Greek letters are used as distinct symbols in mathematics, in particular for ε/ϵ and π/ϖ. The archaic letter digamma (Ϝ/ϝ/ϛ) is sometimes used.

Contents

The Bayer designation naming scheme for stars typically uses the first Greek letter, α, for the brightest star in each constellation, and runs through the alphabet before switching to Latin letters.

In mathematical finance, the Greeks are the variables denoted by Greek letters used to describe the risk of certain investments.

Typography

Some common conventions:

The Greek letter forms used in mathematics are often different from those used in Greek-language text: they are designed to be used in isolation, not connected to other letters, and some use variant forms which are not normally used in current Greek typography.

The OpenType font format has the feature tag "mgrk" ("Mathematical Greek") to identify a glyph as representing a Greek letter to be used in mathematical (as opposed to Greek language) contexts.

The table below shows a comparison of Greek letters rendered in TeX and HTML. The font used in the TeX rendering is an italic style. This is in line with the convention that variables should be italicized. As Greek letters are more often than not used as variables in mathematical formulas, a Greek letter appearing similar to the TeX rendering is more likely to be encountered in works involving mathematics.

Greek letters in HTML and TeX (α–μ)
NameTeXHTML
Alpha Α α
Beta Β β
Gamma Γ γ
Delta Δ δ
Epsilon Ε ϵ ε
Digamma Ϝ ϝ
Zeta Ζ ζ
Eta Η η
Theta Θ θ ϑ
Iota Ι ι
Kappa Κ κ ϰ
Lambda Λ λ
Mu Μ μ
Greek letters in HTML and TeX (ν–ω)
NameTeXHTML
Nu Ν ν
Xi Ξ ξ
Omicron Ο ο
Pi Π π ϖ
Rho Ρ ρ ϱ
Sigma Σ σ ς
Tau Τ τ
Upsilon Υ υ
Phi Φ ϕ φ
Chi Χ χ
Psi Ψ ψ
Omega Ω ω
Greek letters with typographical variations
NameGreek LetterBoldItalicBold ItalicSans-Serif BoldSans-Serif Bold ItalicAPLDouble struck boldUnicode variants or similar
Alpha Α α𝚨 𝛂𝛢 𝛼𝜜 𝜶𝝖 𝝰𝞐 𝞪⍺ ⍶
Beta Β β ϐ ᵝ ᵦ𝚩 𝛃𝛣 𝛽𝜝 𝜷𝝗 𝝱𝞑 𝞫
Gamma Γ γ ᴦ ᵞ ᵧ𝚪 𝛄𝛤 𝛾𝜞 𝜸𝝘 𝝲𝞒 𝞬ℾ ℽ
Delta Δ δ ᵟ𝚫 𝛅𝛥 𝛿𝜟 𝜹𝝙 𝝳𝞓 𝞭U+2206INCREMENT, U+2207NABLA
Epsilon Ε ε ϵ ϶𝚬 𝛆 𝛜𝛦 𝜀 𝜖𝜠 𝜺 𝝐𝝚 𝝴 𝞊𝞔 𝞮 𝟄U+2208ELEMENT OFU+220DSMALL CONTAINS AS MEMBER
Zeta Ζ ζ𝚭 𝛇𝛧 𝜁𝜡 𝜻𝝛 𝝵𝞕 𝞯
Eta Η η Ͱ ͱ𝚮 𝛈𝛨 𝜂𝜢 𝜼𝝜 𝝶𝞖 𝞰
Theta Θ θ ϑ ϴ ᶿ𝚯 𝛉 𝚹 𝛝𝛩 𝜃 𝛳 𝜗𝜣 𝜽 𝜭 𝝑𝝝 𝝷 𝚹 𝞋𝞗 𝞱 𝜭 𝟅
Iota Ι ι ᶥ ℩𝚰 𝛊𝛪 𝜄𝜤 𝜾𝝞 𝝸𝞘 𝞲⍳ ⍸
Kappa Κ κ ϰ𝚱 𝛋 𝛞𝛫 𝜅 𝜘𝜥 𝜿 𝝒𝝟 𝝹 𝞌𝞙 𝞳 𝟆
Lambda Λ λ ᴧ𝚲 𝛌𝛬 𝜆𝜦 𝝀𝝠 𝝺𝞚 𝞴
Mu Μ μ µ𝚳 𝛍𝛭 𝜇𝜧 𝝁𝝡 𝝻𝞛 𝞵
Nu Ν ν𝚴 𝛎𝛮 𝜈𝜨 𝝂𝝢 𝝼𝞜 𝞶
Xi Ξ ξ𝚵 𝛏𝛯 𝜉𝜩 𝝃𝝣 𝝽𝞝 𝞷
Omicron Ο ο𝚶 𝛐𝛰 𝜊𝜪 𝝄𝝤 𝝾𝞞 𝞸
Pi Π π ϖ ᴨ𝚷 𝛑 𝛡𝛱 𝜋 𝜛𝜫 𝝅 𝝕𝝥 𝝿 𝞏𝞟 𝞹 𝟉ℿ ℼU+220FN-ARY PRODUCT, U+2210N-ARY COPRODUCT
Rho Ρ ρ Ῥ ῥ ῤ ϱ ϼ ᴩ ᵨ ☧𝚸 𝛒 𝛠𝛲 𝜌 𝜚𝜬 𝝆 𝝔𝝦 𝞀 𝞎𝞠 𝞺 𝟈
Sigma Σ σ ς Ϲ ϲ Ͻ ͻ Ͼ ͼ Ͽ ͽ𝚺 𝛔 𝛓𝛴 𝜎 𝜍𝜮 𝝈 𝝇𝝨 𝞂 𝞁𝞢 𝞼 𝞻U+2211N-ARY SUMMATION
Tau Τ τ𝚻 𝛕𝛵 𝜏𝜯 𝝉𝝩 𝞃𝞣 𝞽
Upsilon Υ υ ϒ𝚼 𝛖𝛶 𝜐𝜰 𝝊𝝪 𝞄𝞤 𝞾
Phi Φ φ ϕ𝚽 𝛗 𝛟𝛷 𝜑 𝜙𝜱 𝝋 𝝓𝝫 𝞅 𝞍𝞥 𝞿 𝟇
Chi Χ χᵡᵪ☧𝚾 𝛘𝛸 𝜒𝜲 𝝌𝝬 𝞆𝞦 𝟀
Psi Ψ ψ ᴪ𝚿 𝛙𝛹 𝜓𝜳 𝝍𝝭 𝞇𝞧 𝟁
Omega Ω ω ꭥ𝛀 𝛚𝛺 𝜔𝜴 𝝎𝝮 𝞈𝞨 𝟂⍵ ⍹U+2126OHM SIGN, U+2127INVERTED OHM SIGN

Concepts represented by a Greek letter

Αα (alpha)

Ββ (beta)

Γγ (gamma)

Δδ (delta)

Εε (epsilon)

Ϝϝ (digamma)

Ζζ (zeta)

Ηη (eta)

Θθ (theta)

Ιι (iota)

Κκ (kappa)

Λλ (lambda)

Μμ (mu)

Νν (nu)

Ξξ (xi)

Οο (omicron)

Ππ (pi)

Ρρ (rho)

Σσς (sigma)

Ττ (tau)

ϒυ (upsilon)

Φφ (phi)

Note: The empty set symbol ∅ looks similar, but is unrelated to the Greek letter.

Χχ (chi)

Ψψ (psi)

Ωω (omega)

See also

Related Research Articles

Delta is the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 4. It was derived from the Phoenician letter dalet 𐤃. Letters that come from delta include Latin D and Cyrillic Д.

Epsilon is the fifth letter of the Greek alphabet, corresponding phonetically to a mid front unrounded vowel IPA:[e̞] or IPA:[ɛ̝]. In the system of Greek numerals it also has the value five. It was derived from the Phoenician letter He . Letters that arose from epsilon include the Roman E, Ë and Ɛ, and Cyrillic Е, È, Ё, Є and Э.

Gamma is the third letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 3. In Ancient Greek, the letter gamma represented a voiced velar stop IPA:[ɡ]. In Modern Greek, this letter normally represents a voiced velar fricative IPA:[ɣ], except before either of the two front vowels, where it represents a voiced palatal fricative IPA:[ʝ]; while /g/ in foreign words is instead commonly transcribed as γκ).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lambda</span> Eleventh letter in the Greek alphabet

Lambda is the eleventh letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the voiced alveolar lateral approximant IPA:[l]. In the system of Greek numerals, lambda has a value of 30. Lambda is derived from the Phoenician Lamed. Lambda gave rise to the Latin L and the Cyrillic El (Л). The ancient grammarians and dramatists give evidence to the pronunciation as (λάβδα) in Classical Greek times. In Modern Greek, the name of the letter, Λάμδα, is pronounced.

Omega is the twenty-fourth and last letter in the Greek alphabet. In the Greek numeric system/isopsephy (gematria), it has a value of 800. The word literally means "great O", as opposed to omicron, which means "little O".

The number π is a mathematical constant that is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, approximately equal to 3.14159. The number π appears in many formulae across mathematics and physics. It is an irrational number, meaning that it cannot be expressed exactly as a ratio of two integers, although fractions such as are commonly used to approximate it. Consequently, its decimal representation never ends, nor enters a permanently repeating pattern. It is a transcendental number, meaning that it cannot be a solution of an equation involving only finite sums, products, powers, and integers. The transcendence of π implies that it is impossible to solve the ancient challenge of squaring the circle with a compass and straightedge. The decimal digits of π appear to be randomly distributed, but no proof of this conjecture has been found.

The propagation constant of a sinusoidal electromagnetic wave is a measure of the change undergone by the amplitude and phase of the wave as it propagates in a given direction. The quantity being measured can be the voltage, the current in a circuit, or a field vector such as electric field strength or flux density. The propagation constant itself measures the dimensionless change in magnitude or phase per unit length. In the context of two-port networks and their cascades, propagation constant measures the change undergone by the source quantity as it propagates from one port to the next.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phi</span> Twenty-first letter in the Greek alphabet

Phi is the twenty-first letter of the Greek alphabet.

Pi is the sixteenth letter of the Greek alphabet, meaning units united, and representing the voiceless bilabial plosive IPA:[p]. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 80. It was derived from the Phoenician letter Pe. Letters that arose from pi include Latin P, Cyrillic Pe, Coptic pi, and Gothic pairthra (𐍀).

Nu is the thirteenth letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the voiced alveolar nasal IPA:[n]. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 50. It is derived from the ancient Phoenician language nun . Its Latin equivalent is N, though the lowercase resembles the Roman lowercase v.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mu (letter)</span> Twelfth letter of the Greek alphabet

Mu is the twelfth letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the voiced bilabial nasal IPA:[m]. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 40. Mu was derived from the Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol for water, which had been simplified by the Phoenicians and named after their word for water, to become 𐤌 (mem). Letters that derive from mu include the Roman M and the Cyrillic М, though the lowercase resembles a small Latin U (u).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kappa</span> Tenth letter in the Greek alphabet

Kappa is the tenth letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the voiceless velar plosive IPA:[k] sound in Ancient and Modern Greek. In the system of Greek numerals, has a value of 20. It was derived from the Phoenician letter kaph . Letters that arose from kappa include the Roman K and Cyrillic К. The uppercase form is identical to the Latin K.

Rho is the seventeenth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 100. It is derived from Phoenician letter res . Its uppercase form uses the same glyph, Ρ, as the distinct Latin letter P; the two letters have different Unicode encodings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psi (Greek)</span> Penultimate letter in the Greek alphabet

Psi(P)SY, (P)SEE is the twenty-third and penultimate letter of the Greek alphabet and is associated with a numeric value of 700. In both Classical and Modern Greek, the letter indicates the combination.

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.

In physics, Larmor precession is the precession of the magnetic moment of an object about an external magnetic field. The phenomenon is conceptually similar to the precession of a tilted classical gyroscope in an external torque-exerting gravitational field. Objects with a magnetic moment also have angular momentum and effective internal electric current proportional to their angular momentum; these include electrons, protons, other fermions, many atomic and nuclear systems, as well as classical macroscopic systems. The external magnetic field exerts a torque on the magnetic moment,

In mathematics, a variable is a symbol that represents a mathematical object. A variable may represent a number, a vector, a matrix, a function, the argument of a function, a set, or an element of a set.

The history of mathematical notation includes the commencement, progress, and cultural diffusion of mathematical symbols and the conflict of the methods of notation confronted in a notation's move to popularity or inconspicuousness. Mathematical notation comprises the symbols used to write mathematical equations and formulas. Notation generally implies a set of well-defined representations of quantities and symbols operators. The history includes Hindu–Arabic numerals, letters from the Roman, Greek, Hebrew, and German alphabets, and a host of symbols invented by mathematicians over the past several centuries.

A mathematical constant is a key number whose value is fixed by an unambiguous definition, often referred to by a special symbol, or by mathematicians' names to facilitate using it across multiple mathematical problems. Constants arise in many areas of mathematics, with constants such as e and π occurring in such diverse contexts as geometry, number theory, statistics, and calculus.

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