How to Insert a Multiplication Symbol in Office

By Filonia LeChat

Type calculations on screen with Microsoft Office.
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You may be well-versed in inserting graphics, text boxes and even multi-media into programs like Excel, Word and PowerPoint, but don't rule out performing or denoting mathematical calculations in your Office program files. Whether you’re creating spreadsheets, letters, brochures, presentations, or other documents, inserting a multiplication symbol is even easier than A, B, C.

X Marks the Spot

The quickest way to insert a multiplication symbol in an Office program is to use its alphabetical equivalent, the “X.” Instantly recognizable for “times” or multiplication, you simply have to navigate to the text in Word, the text box in PowerPoint and Publisher, or the cell in the grid in Excel, and type an “X” between the two variables you’re multiplying.

A Sign of the Times

Office programs include a multiplication symbol in their Symbols collection, though it looks like the standard “X” character. Find it by clicking the Insert tab, then clicking the Symbol button. From the menu, select the “x,” which has a pop-up “Multiplication Sign” reminder. To insert the multiplication symbol in Word and Excel, just position your cursor where you want it to be. In PowerPoint and Publisher, you must first click inside a text box, before the Symbols menu becomes available.

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