equal sign

An equal sign is the symbol =.

An equal sign shows that what is on the left side of the symbol is equal in value or in total to what is on the right side of the symbol. For example, 5 + 4 = 9 which means that 5 + 4 is equal to 9.

A mathematician from Wales, Robert Recorde, was the first person to use the symbol = for the equal sign.