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The plus-minus sign shows that a quantity can take either sign, most often for measurement uncertainty (5.2 ± 0.1) or the two roots of a quadratic. \mp is its mirror and is used alongside \pm when the signs are coupled.
All ways to write it
| Command | Use | Package | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|
\pm | plus-or-minus | none | |
\mp | minus-or-plus, the opposite sign order | none |
Example
x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}The quadratic formula: both roots in one expression.
Questions
What is the difference between \pm and \mp?
\pm prints ± (plus on top) and \mp prints ∓ (minus on top). They are used together when two signs are linked: cos(a ± b) = cos a cos b ∓ sin a sin b.
Does \pm work in text mode?
In LaTeX \pm is a math-mode command, so write $\pm$. The textcomp package adds \textpm for running text. In Confluence just use the math macro.
Related symbols
- Minus-plus ∓
\mp - Multiplication ×
\times - Approximately ≈
\approx
Using plus-minus in Confluence
Confluence Cloud has no built-in LaTeX. With LaTeX Math for Confluence you add a math macro to any page, type \pm and it renders inline or as a block, with a live preview while you edit. Every command on this page renders there without extra packages.