Mathematical Sans-Serif Italic Small A 𝘢

Visual Description: A small italic letter a in a clean sans-serif style. It slopes to the right and has a smooth, rounded bowl. In math typesetting it reads as a variable rather than a label. Its simple form fits neatly beside equations and in compact UI panels.

Meaning & Usage: Used to denote a quantity, parameter, or index in formulas. Its italic style signals mathematics rather than plain text. In calculators and apps you can enter a, or assign a value to it for expressions. It participates in replacements, substitutions, and comparisons in simple equations.

Historical Background: Throughout the development of mathematical notation, italic letters were adopted to distinguish variables from ordinary text. The letter a became a common stand-in for an unknown quantity or a parameter. This convention spread with printed books, educational worksheets, and digital math editors, shaping how students and professionals recognize variable roles in formulas.

Practical Use: In teaching and coding, the symbol appears in examples, templates, and calculators. You can set a test value, run through a series of equations, or compare two expressions by substituting a. Quick UI controls like sliders, stepper buttons, or toggle switches help adjust a and instantly see results or comparisons, making abstract ideas feel concrete.

See our category page for related symbols.

Look‑alikes: a (U+61).

Need styled alternatives? Try the Fancy Text tool.