Commonly Confused Symbols
Small visual differences can change meaning, search results, formulas, and computer code. These comparisons help you choose the correct character rather than a look-alike.
Dashes and Minus Signs
- – — −
The keyboard hyphen-minus is used in ordinary typing and code. The en dash marks ranges, the em dash separates clauses, and the mathematical minus sign aligns with arithmetic operators.
Compare them side by sideCommon Look-Alike Characters
× x ✕
The multiplication sign is a math operator, lowercase x is a letter, and the multiplication X is a decorative cross.
° º ˚
The degree sign indicates angles and temperature. The masculine ordinal indicator and ring-above modifier are separate Unicode characters.
’ ' `
A curly apostrophe, straight apostrophe, and grave accent may look similar but behave differently in writing and code.