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For PC calculators you use * instead of x, or / instead of ÷. Why were these two symbols chosen over the other two?

In the standard Windows calculator, even the button uses "/" instead of "÷"

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    @Arturo I thought it may have an interesting mathematical reason but it's just the boring old restrictions of ascii2011-05-24

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I don't know which came first in this case, but I'd have to believe it came from using $\cdot$ for multiplication in writing and $/$ came from the fraction symbol.

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    @The Chaz: I wouldn't use my real name if privacy was my concern here. Googling my name should bring up my [old and neglected homepage](http://xwww.uni-math.gwdg.de/theo/) in Göttingen with some texts I wrote some time ago. But be aware that I'm neither [this guy](http://www.tattoo-theo.ch/Sites/artists.htm) nor [that guy](http://www.wilabonn.de/642_343.htm?h104#). Currently I'm at [ETH Zürich](http://www.math.ethz.ch/u/theo).2011-05-24