Plus or minus (±) in LaTeX
The plus-minus sign, \pm, stands for two values at once: one obtained by adding and one by subtracting the same quantity, most often a measurement tolerance or the two roots of an equation.
LaTeX command
\pmNot the symbol you meant? Draw it to find the command →
\pm shows up constantly in two contexts: reporting a measurement with its uncertainty, such as , and writing formulas that have two solutions, most famously the quadratic formula. In both cases it compactly represents plus this value, or minus this value.
LaTeX treats \pm as a binary operator by default, so it gets correctly spaced whether it sits between two quantities () or as a sign in front of a single term (); you do not need to add manual spacing either way.
\pm has a companion symbol, \mp, used when a formula needs the signs to alternate in opposite directions, such as in trigonometric addition identities. The two are always paired: top sign with top sign, bottom with bottom.
Other forms
\mpminus-or-plus (∓)Examples
$x = 3 \pm 2$3 with a tolerance of 2, meaning 1 or 5
$x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}$the quadratic formula, giving both roots
$\sin(a\pm b) = \sin a\cos b \pm \cos a\sin b$an addition identity using both signs
$g = 9.8 \pm 0.1\,\mathrm{m/s^2}$a measured value with its uncertainty
Tips and common mistakes
- Type
\pmrather than a literal plus-minus character, so spacing and font stay consistent with the rest of your maths. \pmworks correctly both as a binary operator () and as a leading sign (), LaTeX spaces both cases sensibly without extra help.- Pair
\pmwith\mponly when the signs genuinely need to alternate oppositely in the same formula, not just because both appear somewhere in the document. \pmis not a stand-in for approximately, use\approxfor that instead.
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How do I type the plus-minus sign in LaTeX?
Use \pm inside maths mode, for example . No package is required.
What is the plus-minus sign used for?
Most commonly, reporting a value with its measurement uncertainty, and writing formulas like the quadratic formula that have two solutions.
Does \pm need a package?
No, \pm is a core LaTeX symbol available with no extra packages.
What is the difference between \pm and \mp?
\pm gives plus-or-minus, \mp gives minus-or-plus. They are used together when a formula needs two sign choices to alternate in opposite directions.