x00F7

x00F7 refers to the Unicode code point U+00F7, the division sign ÷. It is a mathematical operator used to denote division between numbers or expressions in arithmetic and related fields.

In Unicode and character encoding, U+00F7 is defined as the DIVISION SIGN. It resides in the Latin-1 Supplement block with the decimal value 247. In HTML it can be written as ÷ or ÷. In UTF-8 it encodes as two bytes: 0xC3 0xB7.

History and naming: The division sign originated from the obelus used in early manuscripts and printing. It was popularized by Swiss mathematician Johann Rahn in 1659 in Teutsche Algebra as a dedicated symbol for division. The symbol is sometimes referred to as the obelus, though that name can also describe a separate proofreading symbol.

Usage and context: The symbol is common in elementary arithmetic, textbooks, and typesetting to indicate division operations. On keyboards and in many typesetting systems, ÷ is inserted via character maps or input methods. In most programming languages, however, division is represented by the slash / rather than the division sign.

Typography and rendering: As a Unicode character, ÷ is designed to render across fonts. Most typefaces show a short horizontal bar with a dot above and a dot below. Some fonts may render minor stylistic variations, but the overall form remains the same and it is distinct from the multiplication sign (×) and the slash used in many programming contexts.