The Mathematical Symbol "Superscript One (¹)"

The "Superscript One" Symbol (¹)

The ¹ symbol represents the number one in superscript format. It is visually represented as this: ¹.

Visual Representation

The symbol appears as a smaller version of the numeral "1" raised above the baseline, looking like this: ¹.

Common Uses

The superscript one symbol has various applications, including:

  • Exponentiation: In mathematical notation, superscripts often indicate exponents, e.g., x¹ would just be x.
  • Footnotes: It's common in academic and other types of writing to use superscript numbers like ¹ to indicate footnotes or references.
  • Ordinal Numbers: In some contexts, the symbol may be used to indicate the ordinal form of one, e.g., 1¹st (though this usage is less standard).

Representation in Other Contexts

In LaTeX, a typesetting system popularly used for mathematical and scientific documents, the superscript one can be represented using `^1` when in math mode.

Conclusion

While the ¹ symbol may seem simple, it has various applications in both mathematical and general writing contexts. Using it appropriately can make content clearer, especially in situations where footnotes or exponents are involved.

Mathematical symbol 'Superscript One'

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Codes for the ¹ Symbol

The Symbol¹
Alt CodeAlt 185
HTML Code¹
HTML Entity¹
CSS Code\00B9
Hex Code¹
UnicodeU+00B9

How To Insert the ¹ Symbol

(Method 1) Copy and paste the symbol.

The easiest way to get the ¹ symbol is to copy and paste it into your document.

Bear in mind that this is a UTF-8 encoded character. It must be encoded as UTF-8 at all stages (copying, replacing, editing, pasting), otherwise it will render as random characters or the dreaded �.

(Method 2) Use the "Alt Code."

If you have a keyboard with a numeric pad, you can use this method. Simply hold down the Alt key and type 185. When you lift the Alt key, the symbol appears. ("Num Lock" must be on.)

(Method 3) Use the HTML Decimal Code (for webpages).

HTML TextOutput
<b>My symbol: &#185;</b>My symbol: ¹

(Method 4) Use the HTML Entity Code (for webpages).

HTML TextOutput
<b>My symbol: &sup1;</b>My symbol: ¹

(Method 5) Use the CSS Code (for webpages).

CSS and HTML TextOutput
<style>
span:after {
content: "\00B9";}
</style>
<span>My symbol:</span> 		My symbol: ¹

(Method 6) Use the HTML Hex Code (for webpages and HTML canvas).

HTML TextOutput
<b>My symbol: &#x00B9;</b>My symbol: ¹
On the assumption that you already have your canvas and the context set up, use the Hex code in the format 0x00B9 to place the ¹ symbol on your canvas. For example:
JavaScript Text
const x = "0x"+"E9"
ctx.fillText(String.fromCodePoint(x), 5, 5);
Output

¹

(Method 7) Use the Unicode (for various, e.g. Microsoft Office, JavaScript, Perl).

The Unicode for ¹ is U+00B9. The important part is the hexadecimal number after the U+, which is used in various formats. For example, in Microsoft Office applications (e.g. Word, PowerPoint), do the following:
TypeOutput
00B9
[Hold down Alt]
[Press x]		¹
(The 00B9 turns into ¹. Note that you can omit any leading zeros.)
In JavaScript, the syntax is \uXXXX. So, our example would be \u00B9. (Note that the format is 4 hexadecimal characters.)
JavaScript TextOutput
let str = "\u00B9"
document.write("My symbol: " + str)		My symbol: ¹