Quite often we have to enter the delta sign in the process of recruiting various documents. It is its significance, as well as input methods in various applications running such an OS as Windows, that will be considered in this article.
Where did he come from?
The delta sign itself came to us from the Greek language. This is one of the letters of his alphabet. To date, scientists believe that it served as the progenitor of the Latin letter D, which is present in most alphabets of European countries and not only. In our language, its counterpart is "D". The large symbol of this letter is an isosceles triangle, which has the smallest side at the base (that is, "Δ"). In turn, the uppercase letter is a small circle with a characteristic upper tail (it looks like this: "δ"). A little later, these symbols began to be actively used in various areas of human life, among which mathematics and geography can be distinguished.
Geography
This concept is widely used in geography. Here under this term lies the region where the river flows into the sea or ocean. From above, it looks like a triangle. That is, there is an analogy here, and a similar definition in this case is more than justified. The most striking examples are the Nile River (flows into the Mediterranean Sea in the northern part of the African continent) or the Amazon River (flows into the Atlantic Ocean and is located in South America). From a bird's eye view, the places at the junction of land and water of these two great rivers really look like the Greek letter Δ.
Maths
Much more often and more is the delta sign used in mathematics. Here it can mean the following:
- Argument increment. That is, behind this concept lies the value by which the variable has changed. For example, 2 + 3 = 5. In this case, 2 increased by 3. This is Δ.
- Another case in which this letter of the Greek alphabet is used is the Laplace operator.
- The last option, in which Δ is used, is the designation of the determinant of the matrix.
This is all true for a capital letter. But with a capital symbol, the situation is similar. It can mean this:
- In the derivative notation: δy / δx (the derivative looks similar in physics, astronomy, and cosmogony).
- In the description of the delta function, which can be equal to infinity with the argument zero and zero for all other values.
- With its help, the Kronecker symbol - δ ij is indicated. It is equal to unity when the indices are equal and to zero in all other cases.
In general, it is not so rare in modern mathematics to find this symbol.
Physics
Another area where this Greek letter is commonly used is physics. Most of the values of this science are interconnected in the form of integrals and derivatives. For example, speed is the ratio of δS to δt, that is, the distance traveled to the time in which it is overcome. In turn, the derivative of the second order of time velocity will be acceleration. This is just one example that shows how important this Greek letter is to modern physics.
Astronomy and Cosmogony
Greek δ is no less important for these sciences. Here again, many quantities are interconnected with the help of integrals and derivatives. It is the latter concept that is denoted by the capital letter delta.
Enter in the "Word"
The easiest way is to insert the delta sign in the Word into the text of the document - we’ll start with it. In the first case, in the open window of this application, you must go to the "Insert" tab of the main menu. Then we find the item labeled “Symbols”. In it, open the drop-down list "Symbol" (next to it is drawn the letter "omega", it looks like a horseshoe). In it, select the item “Other Symbols” (located at the very bottom of this list). Then, by moving through the table of all the characters available for input, we find the desired one and paste it into the application workspace. Then close the previously opened window.
The second option in the Word processor is based on the use of the formula editor. The dialing order is identical in this case. The only difference is that in the item “Symbols” we select not the drop-down list “Symbol”, but the list “Formula”. Then select “New Formula”. Then, in the place of the main menu, the “Designer” panel will appear. In its section we find the subsection "Symbols". Then, moving along it, we find Δ (for a capital letter) or δ (in the case of a capital letter). Then, using the Tab key or the mouse pointer, press the button labeled "Insert." Next, close the insert window. The character we need should appear in the work area of the word processor.
Any application
You can type the delta sign on the keyboard. To do this, use ASKI - the code of this symbol, which is 916. This method is universal and works in all applications running the Windows OS. The dialing order in this case is as follows:
- Switch the input language to English.
- We translate the extended keyboard from navigation mode to number input mode. To do this, press the “Nam Bow” button until its LED lights up.
- We move the cursor to the area of the application in which you need to type Δ using the manipulator.
- Hold "Alt" on the left side of the keyboard.
- At the next stage, you need to enter a sequence of numbers corresponding to the delta symbol. The sign code for it is 916, as noted earlier. Therefore, we immediately type 9, then 1 and at the end of 6.
- Release the previously held down Alt key. After that, the symbol we need should appear in the workspace of our application.
By the way, you can code the delta sign in "Word" find out if you don’t know or forgot. To do this, it is sufficient to enter the symbol insertion window using the previously described methodology, find Δ in it, and select it. In the lower part in the field "Code of the sign" and the information of interest to us will be indicated. And so you can find out this parameter for any character. The same input method can be used when typing a capital letter. The only difference is that it has a 948 code. That is, instead of 916, you need to apply this order of numbers. The disadvantage of this method is that you need to remember ASKI codes. If the numbers in it are from one to three, then you can still remember. And with more characters, this method is no longer effectively used.
Alternative - clipboard
Another way is to use the clipboard to insert a “delta”. The triangle sign needs to be found in any application (for example, on any Internet resource). Select it using the manipulator. Then the key combination “Ctrl” and “Insert” is used (we perform the copy operation). Go to the application where you need to insert this symbol (you can use the combination of "Alt" and "Tab" or the mouse pointer). Then press “Shift” and “Insert” (perform the insert operation). After that, the symbol Δ should appear to the right of the cursor. Similarly, you can insert a capital letter. The disadvantage of this method is that you need the original sign. And it’s not always possible to find him. Therefore, this can only be done on computers that are connected to the global web. In it, you can easily and simply find the source symbol. In other cases, this method is not rational to use.
Character table: the best solution anyway
The Word word processor is not always installed on the computer. The computer may not be connected to the global web and there is simply nowhere to copy the delta sign from. And we do not remember the ASKI code of this symbol. How would a hopeless situation turn out. But there is a solution. And it’s very simple. It’s enough to use a standard utility such as “Symbol Table”. To do this, perform the following manipulations:
- We open the Start menu by pressing the corresponding key or by clicking the right button of the mouse type manipulator.
- In the list that opens, select the "Programs" item.
- At the next stage, click on the inscription "Standard".
- Next, we need the "System" section.
- Here we find a utility with the inscription "Symbol Table".
- In the list we find the letter we need (capital Δ or capital δ).
- Then we right-click on the "Select" button. After that, another button should become active - “Copy”. Her and push. Then the symbol we selected is placed on the clipboard.
- Next, go to the application where you need to insert such a character and press the standard combination of "Ctrl" and "V". Alternatively, “Shift” and “Insert” can be used. Another way to insert is to use the Insert menu and the button of the same name.
Unlike all the previously mentioned methods, this one is universal and works in all programs running such an operating system as Windows.
To summarize: which way is better?
Very often, in the process of recruiting formulas in mathematics, physics, astronomy and cosmogony, the delta sign is used, both uppercase and capital. Therefore, it is important to enter it in electronic form. The easiest way to insert a delta sign in Word using the Insert tab and the Insert Symbol subpanel. But this is a special case, and it works only in this word processor. In other cases, it is most rational to use the "Symbol Table". There is no need to remember special three-digit ASKI codes or look for the source letter, as is the case with the clipboard. Moreover, this utility is automatically installed on all PCs during the installation of the Windows operating system.