Positive and negative symbols (+and-) are mathematical symbols used to represent positive and negative concepts and addition and subtraction operations. Their usage has been extended to many other meanings. Addition and subtraction mean "more" and "less" in Latin respectively.

In Europe in the early15th century, the letters "p" and "m" were usually used. The symbol with a line P on it (P stands for plus sign; M with a line on it stands for minus sign) first appeared in luca pacioli's Mathematical Outline (published in Venice in 1494). +is the simplification of Latin "et" (with &; Symbols are equivalent).

Q- can be derived from the waveform symbol written on m to represent subtraction; Or it may come from a shortened version of itself; Johannes Widmann mentioned the symbols-and+as negative signs and mer (modern German mehr "duo"), which are not used for addition and subtraction here, but for surplus and deficit; Their first use in the modern sense appeared in a book written by Henricus Grammateus in 15 18.