Which symbol represents 'less than or equal to'?

Which symbol represents 'less than or equal to'?

• A. ≤
• B. <
• C. >
• D. ≥

Answer: (A)

Think about what “less than or equal to” means: a value is either smaller than another value or exactly the same as it. The symbol that captures that inclusive boundary is the one written as a less-than sign with a line underneath it: ≤. If you see x ≤ 3, it means x can be any number smaller than 3 or equal to 3. This is different from the strict less-than symbol <, which would exclude 3, or from > or ≥, which point in the opposite direction or include the boundary of being greater. In words, “no more than” or “at most” map to ≤, so that symbol is the one for less than or equal to.

Think about what “less than or equal to” means: a value is either smaller than another value or exactly the same as it. The symbol that captures that inclusive boundary is the one written as a less-than sign with a line underneath it: ≤. If you see x ≤ 3, it means x can be any number smaller than 3 or equal to 3. This is different from the strict less-than symbol <, which would exclude 3, or from > or ≥, which point in the opposite direction or include the boundary of being greater. In words, “no more than” or “at most” map to ≤, so that symbol is the one for less than or equal to.