If you’re looking to type the approximately equal sign (≈) on a Mac, there are two methods: Option + X or Option + =. This tip also includes how to use an emoji shortcut for this character and some of its alternatives.
The approximately equal sign is used to indicate that two values are not exactly equal but close enough that the difference between them doesn’t matter. It’s commonly used in math to show rounding or simplified numbers, as well as in engineering for design approximations.
Mac users can access ≈ by pressing either Option + X or Option + =, though both work equally well. You can also find the symbol through the Character Viewer, accessible from the Edit menu or the keyboard layout.
Here’s what the symbol means, where it might be used, and some related symbols that appear on a Mac keyboard.
What Is the Approximately Equal Sign?
In mathematics, ≈ is known as the “approximately equal” symbol, meaning that two values aren’t exactly the same but they’re similar enough that it doesn’t matter. It’s used for rounded numbers and for simplified numbers. For example, you might write that pi is approximately 3.14 or that the value of 27/198 is approximately equal to 0.14. The symbol can also be useful when exact precision isn’t available or necessary, such as with measurements or certain statistical results.
In engineering, engineers often use approximations for designs because their calculations require some flexibility. In statistics, they might use approximate values as placeholders. The symbol is used in physics to denote measured values and in economics to express estimated or average figures.
How to Type the Approximately Equal Sign on Mac
To type the approximately equal sign on a Mac, press Option + X or Option + =.
You can also open the Character Viewer to select the symbol from its library, then choose it and insert it into your document. The Character Viewer is found under the Edit menu, or by choosing a keyboard layout from the bottom-left corner of your screen, clicking the arrowhead, and selecting Show Emoji & Symbols from the dropdown.
You can also use an emoji shortcut by typing 18678 and hitting Enter. However, emoji shortcuts are only available on Apple devices running iOS, iPadOS, macOS or tvOS.
Alternate Approximately Equal Signs
There are several alternate versions of the approximately equal sign that you might see on a Mac keyboard. Here’s how each differs:
Tilde (~)
A Mac user may use the tilde (~), located just below the Backspace key, to represent similarity or approximation. It can even be used to mean negation, as in the expression A~B (read as “not A”). Some Mac users have noted using the tilde as an alternative for the word “approximately” or “about.”
A user suggests that people have asked about whether the ~ key could be used as an alternative to the approximately equal symbol, and he explains that they’ve done so in many situations.
Congruent (≅)
Another option is the congruent symbol, ≅ (U+2245). Congruence refers to shapes that are the same size and shape, but different positions. If you want to know more about this symbol, check out our guide on How to Type the Congruent Symbol on Mac.
Approximately Equal To or Equal To (≒)
This symbol, ≒ (U+2252), appears as approximately equal to or equal to, depending on the context. It’s more commonly used in Japan, China, Korea, and Taiwan. Again, if you want to know more about this symbol, check out our guide on How to Type the Approximately Equal To or Equal To Symbol on Mac.
Inequality Symbol (≠)
This symbol, ≠ (U+2260), represents an inequality, which means that two things are not equal.
Windows Users
Windows users can hold down the Alt key while typing 8776 on their numeric keypad to generate the same symbol. This method reflects the Unicode decimal value of U+2248.