Pm in LaTeX

The LaTeX command for pm (±) is \pm (plus or minus).

\pm

Binary Operators · Unicode ± (U+00B1) · no package needed

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Which command should you use?

Command	Package	Use it when
`\pm` recommended	none	Plus or minus, in math.
`\mp`	none	Minus or plus, paired with \pm.
`\textpm`	none	Plus-minus in running text, e.g. 5 \textpm{} 1 cm.
`\pm 0.5`	none	A tolerance after a value.

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

Common mistake. +- typed in a formula prints two separate signs, a plus and then a minus, instead of one ±. Type \pm.

How to type Pm

Write \pm 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

$x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}$

x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}

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Related Binary Operators symbols

\cap\cup\sqcap\sqcup\vee\wedge\setminus\mp\amalg\triangleleft\triangleright\boxplus\boxtimes\boxminus

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

FAQ

How do you write pm (±) in LaTeX?

Use \pm in math mode; it needs no extra package. For example, $x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}$.

Which package provides \pm?

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

What is the most common mistake with pm in LaTeX?

+- typed in a formula prints two separate signs, a plus and then a minus, instead of one ±. Type \pm.