What it means
Infinity is not a number but a direction: a quantity that grows without bound. It appears as a limit of sums and integrals and in limits where a variable grows without end.
Read aloud in real formulas
∑ₙ₌₁^∞ 1/n² = π²/6
Aethel says
the sum from n equals 1 to infinity of 1 over n squared equals pi squared over 6
an infinite series with a finite sum
lim_{x→∞} 1/x = 0
Aethel says
the limit as x goes to infinity of 1 over x equals 0
1 over x shrinks to zero
Typing it
- LaTeX
- \infty
- Unicode
- U+221E
Formulas that use it
Questions
How do you say ∞ out loud?
It is usually read “infinity”.
What does ∞ mean in maths?
Infinity is not a number but a direction: a quantity that grows without bound. It appears as a limit of sums and integrals and in limits where a variable grows without end.
How do you type ∞?
In LaTeX, write \infty. Its Unicode code point is U+221E.