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The hyphen-minus is the character at position 2D_HEX in ASCII and standards that derive from it. It is used as a hyphen, a minus sign and a dash. This consolidation was a compromise made in the early days of fixed-width typewriters and computer displays. In proper typesetting and present-day graphic design, however, many style guides recommend the use of distinct characters for hyphens, dashes, and the minus sign. Usage of the hyphen-minus nonetheless persists in many contexts, as it is well-known, easy to enter on keyboards, and in the same location in all common character sets.

Most programming languages, restricting themselves to ASCII, use the hyphen-minus, not the Unicode minus sign, for denoting subtraction and negative numbers.

[edit] See also

• Dash
• Hyphen
• Plus and minus signs

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