Editing Multiplication sign (section)

== Similar notations ==
{{Main|Multiplication#Notation|l1=Multiplication: Notation}}

The lower-case Latin letter {{char|x}} is sometimes used in place of the multiplication sign. This is considered incorrect in mathematical writing.

In [[algebra]]ic notation, widely used in mathematics, a multiplication symbol is usually omitted wherever it would not cause confusion: "{{mvar|a}} multiplied by {{mvar|b}}" can be written as {{math|''ab''}} or {{math|''a b''}}.<ref name=":1" />

Other symbols can also be used to denote multiplication, often to reduce confusion between the multiplication sign × and the common variable {{mvar|x}}. In some countries, such as [[Germany]], the primary symbol for multiplication is the "[[dot operator]]" {{char|⋅}} (as in {{math|''a''⋅''b''}}). This symbol is also used in compound [[units of measurement]], e.g., N⋅m (see ''{{slink|International System of Units#Lexicographic conventions}}''). In algebra, it is a notation to resolve ambiguity (for instance, "{{math|''b''}} times {{math|2}}" may be written as {{math|''b''⋅2}}, to avoid being confused with a value called {{math|''b''<sub>2</sub>}}). This notation is used wherever multiplication should be written explicitly, such as in "{{math|1= ''ab'' = ''a''⋅2}} for {{math|1=''b'' = 2}}"; this usage is also seen in English-language texts. In some languages, the use of [[full stop]] as a multiplication symbol, such as {{math|''a''.''b''}}, is common when the symbol for [[decimal point]] is [[comma]].

Historically, computer language [[syntax (programming)|syntax]] was restricted to the [[ASCII]] character set, and the [[asterisk]] {{char|*}} became the de facto symbol for the multiplication operator. This selection is reflected in the [[numeric keypad]] on English-language keyboards, where the arithmetic operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division are represented by the keys {{key press|+}}, {{key press|-}}, {{key press|*}} and {{key press|/}}, respectively.