Approx in LaTeX

The LaTeX command for approx (≈) is \approx (approximately equal).

\approx

Relations · Unicode ≈ (U+2248) · no package needed

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Which command should you use?

Command	Package	Use it when
`\approx` recommended	none	Numerical approximation, as in pi is about 3.14.
`\simeq`	none	Asymptotically equal, or homotopy equivalent.
`\sim`	none	Same order of magnitude, or is distributed as.
`\approxeq`	`amssymb`	Approximately equal, drawn with a bar underneath.
`\cong`	none	Congruent or isomorphic, not approximate.

Table 1. Ways to write approx in LaTeX. Every line was compiled with pdfLaTeX (TeX Live 2026) loading only the package shown.

Common mistake. Pasting the character ≈ into a formula fails under pdfLaTeX with "Unicode character not set up for use with LaTeX". Type \approx.

How to type Approx

Write \approx inside math mode, that is between $…$ for inline math or in a \[ … \] or equation block for display math. It is part of core LaTeX math, so no extra package is required.

Example

$\pi \approx 3.14159$

\pi \approx 3.14159

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Often confused with

Sim \sim (∼): similar to
Simeq \simeq (≃)
Cong \cong (≅): congruent / isomorphic

Related Relations symbols

\leqslant\geqslant\ll\gg\equiv\sim\simeq\cong\propto\perp\mid\nmid\parallel\nparallel

Relation symbols in LaTeX: the full table or search all 350+ LaTeX symbols.

FAQ

How do you write approx (≈) in LaTeX?

Use \approx in math mode; it needs no extra package. For example, $\pi \approx 3.14159$.

Which package provides \approx?

None: \approx is built into LaTeX, so no extra package is required.

What is the most common mistake with approx in LaTeX?

Pasting the character ≈ into a formula fails under pdfLaTeX with "Unicode character not set up for use with LaTeX". Type \approx.