Percent sign

The percent sign (%) is a mathematical character, are marked with the percentages in text and formulas. The character was created during the time of contraction and stylization of the Italian per cento (of hundred). In computer science, the percent sign is used in various roles, including as a sign of the modulo operation, as an escape character, as a placeholder, and as a comment character.

History

Long before the invention of decimal fractions was a need for calculations in tenths or hundredths, such as taxation or interest invoice. This led to an own notation, which was used instead of decimal notation and has survived to this day in the form of the percent sign.

Found as early as the 14th century, in Italian manuscripts expressions, such as " 20 ᵱ 100 " or "x ᵱ cento " ( in modern notation 20% and 10 %). The abbreviation ᵱ (p crossed out with shaft ) stands for the Italian word per ( per German ). During the 15th century arose from the per cento by contraction of the forms " ᵱ co" and " ᵱ C". Until the 17th century, this shortening developed in the symbol, consisting of two circles that are separated by a horizontal line. This symbol was initially a " via " or " ᵱ " above, which then was omitted in the course of time.

Percent sign in a manuscript of 1425

Percent sign in a manuscript of 1684

General recognition was the percent sign but only from the mid-19th century. In modern notation the percent sign is displayed as % ligature with a slash instead of a horizontal line. In the typographic variant, the upper circle is connected by a small sheet with the bar. Derived from the percent sign are the degree sign ‰, which is formed by doubling the lower circle, and per ten thousand signs ‱, which is formed by corresponding tripling.

Use

Mathematics

In mathematics, the percent sign for marking percentages will be used. Formal represents the percent sign represents a one-digit shortcut with the above number is divided by 100. For example, is

A nonbreaking space is set ( see notation of numbers) between the number and the percent sign as with units of measurement. The Duden, recommends to use a smaller, fixed space. According to the Chicago Manual of Style, however, no space between a number and a percent sign is to be placed in English language texts. In Turkish, the percent sign is written in front of the number.

Computer science

The percent sign is in ASCII code at the location 37 (hex 25). As such, it has many functions in the computer science, have nothing in common with the original meaning:

• In a number of programming languages ​​, such as C, C , Java, Perl and Python, the percent sign stands for the modulo operation ( remainder of a division ).
• In the URL - encoding the percent sign is used to display reserved characters in a URI. This is done by means of an escape sequence consisting of a percent sign followed by a two -digit hexadecimal number.
• In the database language SQL, the percent sign is a wildcard within a LIKE query.
• In the programming language BASIC subsequent percent mark indicates an integer variable.
• In the Perl programming language with a leading percent sign indicates that the hash variable.
• In the format string ( for example, by the printf function ) directs the percentage sign the format for a candidate for substitution expression.
• In the command line interpreter COMMAND.COM from MS- DOS, the percent sign indicates the transfer parameters of a batch script and environment variables.
• In the Unix csh, tcsh, and zsh is the percent of the default prompt for user without superuser privilege.

Genealogy

In genealogy, the percent sign is used as an alternative for the divorce ⚮ symbol, see genealogical characters.

Coding

The percent sign and its modifications are encoded in computer systems follows.

To be distinguished from the percent sign is the commercial minus sign ⁒ (U 2052 minus sign commercial ) with dots instead of circles.