All formulas in Excel begin with an equal sign, so the first symbol there is introducing the formula, not specifying anything about equality. To see if it's less than or equal to five, you'd use ...

The "greater than" is also used to close HTML and XML tags, while the "less than" (<) symbol is used to begin them, as in the following examples: ...

Using symbols When comparing numbers, you can use words such as 'greater than' and 'less than'. However, it is sometimes easier to use a symbol than writing words.

The angle sign looks like a cross between the letter "L" and the less-than symbol "Click the "Start" button on your desktop and type "Character Map" in the search field.

The HSE has hit headlines after thousands of people may be affected by a software glitch which saved incorrect medical records. How did this happen, and what happens next? We've answered all your ...