Products
  • Wolfram|One

    The definitive Wolfram Language and notebook experience

  • Mathematica

    The original technical computing environment

  • Wolfram Notebook Assistant + LLM Kit

    All-in-one AI assistance for your Wolfram experience

  • System Modeler
  • Wolfram Player
  • Finance Platform
  • Wolfram Engine
  • Enterprise Private Cloud
  • Application Server
  • Wolfram|Alpha Notebook Edition
  • Wolfram Cloud App
  • Wolfram Player App

More mobile apps

Core Technologies of Wolfram Products

  • Wolfram Language
  • Computable Data
  • Wolfram Notebooks
  • AI & Linguistic Understanding

Deployment Options

  • Wolfram Cloud
  • wolframscript
  • Wolfram Engine Community Edition
  • Wolfram LLM API
  • WSTPServer
  • Wolfram|Alpha APIs

From the Community

  • Function Repository
  • Community Paclet Repository
  • Example Repository
  • Neural Net Repository
  • Prompt Repository
  • Wolfram Demonstrations
  • Data Repository
  • Group & Organizational Licensing
  • All Products
Consulting & Solutions

We deliver solutions for the AI era—combining symbolic computation, data-driven insights and deep technical expertise

  • Data & Computational Intelligence
  • Model-Based Design
  • Algorithm Development
  • Wolfram|Alpha for Business
  • Blockchain Technology
  • Education Technology
  • Quantum Computation

WolframConsulting.com

Wolfram Solutions

  • Data Science
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Biosciences
  • Healthcare Intelligence
  • Sustainable Energy
  • Control Systems
  • Enterprise Wolfram|Alpha
  • Blockchain Labs

More Wolfram Solutions

Wolfram Solutions For Education

  • Research Universities
  • Colleges & Teaching Universities
  • Junior & Community Colleges
  • High Schools
  • Educational Technology
  • Computer-Based Math

More Solutions for Education

  • Contact Us
Learning & Support

Get Started

  • Wolfram Language Introduction
  • Fast Intro for Programmers
  • Fast Intro for Math Students
  • Wolfram Language Documentation

More Learning

  • Highlighted Core Areas
  • Demonstrations
  • YouTube
  • Daily Study Groups
  • Wolfram Schools and Programs
  • Books

Grow Your Skills

  • Wolfram U

    Courses in computing, science, life and more

  • Community

    Learn, solve problems and share ideas.

  • Blog

    News, views and insights from Wolfram

  • Resources for

    Software Developers

Tech Support

  • Contact Us
  • Support FAQs
  • Support FAQs
  • Contact Us
Company
  • About Wolfram
  • Career Center
  • All Sites & Resources
  • Connect & Follow
  • Contact Us

Work with Us

  • Student Ambassador Initiative
  • Wolfram for Startups
  • Student Opportunities
  • Jobs Using Wolfram Language

Educational Programs for Adults

  • Summer School
  • Winter School

Educational Programs for Youth

  • Middle School Camp
  • High School Research Program
  • Computational Adventures

Read

  • Stephen Wolfram's Writings
  • Wolfram Blog
  • Wolfram Tech | Books
  • Wolfram Media
  • Complex Systems

Educational Resources

  • Wolfram MathWorld
  • Wolfram in STEM/STEAM
  • Wolfram Challenges
  • Wolfram Problem Generator

Wolfram Initiatives

  • Wolfram Science
  • Wolfram Foundation
  • History of Mathematics Project

Events

  • Stephen Wolfram Livestreams
  • Online & In-Person Events
  • Contact Us
  • Connect & Follow
Wolfram|Alpha
  • Your Account
  • User Portal
  • Wolfram Cloud
  • Products
    • Wolfram|One
    • Mathematica
    • Wolfram Notebook Assistant + LLM Kit
    • System Modeler
    • Wolfram Player
    • Finance Platform
    • Wolfram|Alpha Notebook Edition
    • Wolfram Engine
    • Enterprise Private Cloud
    • Application Server
    • Wolfram Cloud App
    • Wolfram Player App

    More mobile apps

    • Core Technologies
      • Wolfram Language
      • Computable Data
      • Wolfram Notebooks
      • AI & Linguistic Understanding
    • Deployment Options
      • Wolfram Cloud
      • wolframscript
      • Wolfram Engine Community Edition
      • Wolfram LLM API
      • WSTPServer
      • Wolfram|Alpha APIs
    • From the Community
      • Function Repository
      • Community Paclet Repository
      • Example Repository
      • Neural Net Repository
      • Prompt Repository
      • Wolfram Demonstrations
      • Data Repository
    • Group & Organizational Licensing
    • All Products
  • Consulting & Solutions

    We deliver solutions for the AI era—combining symbolic computation, data-driven insights and deep technical expertise

    WolframConsulting.com

    Wolfram Solutions

    • Data Science
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Biosciences
    • Healthcare Intelligence
    • Sustainable Energy
    • Control Systems
    • Enterprise Wolfram|Alpha
    • Blockchain Labs

    More Wolfram Solutions

    Wolfram Solutions For Education

    • Research Universities
    • Colleges & Teaching Universities
    • Junior & Community Colleges
    • High Schools
    • Educational Technology
    • Computer-Based Math

    More Solutions for Education

    • Contact Us
  • Learning & Support

    Get Started

    • Wolfram Language Introduction
    • Fast Intro for Programmers
    • Fast Intro for Math Students
    • Wolfram Language Documentation

    Grow Your Skills

    • Wolfram U

      Courses in computing, science, life and more

    • Community

      Learn, solve problems and share ideas.

    • Blog

      News, views and insights from Wolfram

    • Resources for

      Software Developers
    • Tech Support
      • Contact Us
      • Support FAQs
    • More Learning
      • Highlighted Core Areas
      • Demonstrations
      • YouTube
      • Daily Study Groups
      • Wolfram Schools and Programs
      • Books
    • Support FAQs
    • Contact Us
  • Company
    • About Wolfram
    • Career Center
    • All Sites & Resources
    • Connect & Follow
    • Contact Us

    Work with Us

    • Student Ambassador Initiative
    • Wolfram for Startups
    • Student Opportunities
    • Jobs Using Wolfram Language

    Educational Programs for Adults

    • Summer School
    • Winter School

    Educational Programs for Youth

    • Middle School Camp
    • High School Research Program
    • Computational Adventures

    Read

    • Stephen Wolfram's Writings
    • Wolfram Blog
    • Wolfram Tech | Books
    • Wolfram Media
    • Complex Systems
    • Educational Resources
      • Wolfram MathWorld
      • Wolfram in STEM/STEAM
      • Wolfram Challenges
      • Wolfram Problem Generator
    • Wolfram Initiatives
      • Wolfram Science
      • Wolfram Foundation
      • History of Mathematics Project
    • Events
      • Stephen Wolfram Livestreams
      • Online & In-Person Events
    • Contact Us
    • Connect & Follow
  • Wolfram|Alpha
  • Wolfram Cloud
  • Your Account
  • User Portal
Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center
Sign
  • See Also
    • RealSign
    • RealAbs
    • Abs
    • Arg
    • FunctionSign
    • UnitStep
    • Piecewise
    • Clip
    • Positive
    • Negative
    • NonNegative
    • Greater
    • Simplify
    • Assumptions
    • Normalize
  • Related Guides
    • Numerical Functions
    • Complex Numbers
    • GPU Computing
    • Conditionals
    • GPU Computing with NVIDIA
    • GPU Computing with Apple
    • Representation of Numbers
    • Angles and Polar Coordinates
  • Tech Notes
    • Numerical Functions
    • Piecewise Functions
    • See Also
      • RealSign
      • RealAbs
      • Abs
      • Arg
      • FunctionSign
      • UnitStep
      • Piecewise
      • Clip
      • Positive
      • Negative
      • NonNegative
      • Greater
      • Simplify
      • Assumptions
      • Normalize
    • Related Guides
      • Numerical Functions
      • Complex Numbers
      • GPU Computing
      • Conditionals
      • GPU Computing with NVIDIA
      • GPU Computing with Apple
      • Representation of Numbers
      • Angles and Polar Coordinates
    • Tech Notes
      • Numerical Functions
      • Piecewise Functions

Sign[x]

gives -1, 0, or 1 depending on whether x is negative, zero, or positive.

Details
Details and Options Details and Options
Examples  
Basic Examples  
Scope  
Numerical Evaluation  
Specific Values  
Visualization  
Function Properties  
Function Identities and Simplifications  
Applications  
Properties & Relations  
Possible Issues  
Neat Examples  
See Also
Tech Notes
Related Guides
Related Links
History
Cite this Page
BUILT-IN SYMBOL
  • See Also
    • RealSign
    • RealAbs
    • Abs
    • Arg
    • FunctionSign
    • UnitStep
    • Piecewise
    • Clip
    • Positive
    • Negative
    • NonNegative
    • Greater
    • Simplify
    • Assumptions
    • Normalize
  • Related Guides
    • Numerical Functions
    • Complex Numbers
    • GPU Computing
    • Conditionals
    • GPU Computing with NVIDIA
    • GPU Computing with Apple
    • Representation of Numbers
    • Angles and Polar Coordinates
  • Tech Notes
    • Numerical Functions
    • Piecewise Functions
    • See Also
      • RealSign
      • RealAbs
      • Abs
      • Arg
      • FunctionSign
      • UnitStep
      • Piecewise
      • Clip
      • Positive
      • Negative
      • NonNegative
      • Greater
      • Simplify
      • Assumptions
      • Normalize
    • Related Guides
      • Numerical Functions
      • Complex Numbers
      • GPU Computing
      • Conditionals
      • GPU Computing with NVIDIA
      • GPU Computing with Apple
      • Representation of Numbers
      • Angles and Polar Coordinates
    • Tech Notes
      • Numerical Functions
      • Piecewise Functions

Sign

Sign[x]

gives -1, 0, or 1 depending on whether x is negative, zero, or positive.

Details

  • Mathematical function, suitable for both symbolic and numerical manipulation.
  • For nonzero complex numbers z, Sign[z] is defined as z/Abs[z].
  • Sign tries various transformations in trying to determine the sign of symbolic expressions.
  • For exact numeric quantities, Sign internally uses numerical approximations to establish its result. This process can be affected by the setting of the global variable $MaxExtraPrecision.
  • Sign automatically threads over lists. »
  • Sign can be used with Interval and CenteredInterval objects. »

Examples

open all close all

Basic Examples  (4)

Real numbers:

Complex numbers:

Plot over a subset of the reals:

Plot over a subset of the complexes:

Scope  (32)

Numerical Evaluation  (6)

Evaluate numerically:

Complex number inputs:

Evaluate to high precision:

For real inputs, the result is exact:

For complex inputs, the precision of the output tracks the precision of the input:

Evaluate efficiently at high precision:

Compute the elementwise values of an array using automatic threading:

Or compute the matrix Sign function using MatrixFunction:

Sign can be used with Interval and CenteredInterval objects:

Or compute average-case statistical intervals using Around:

Specific Values  (5)

Values of Sign at fixed points:

Value at zero:

Values at infinity:

Evaluate symbolically:

Find a value of for which the TemplateBox[{x}, Sign]=0:

Visualize the result:

Visualization  (4)

Plot TemplateBox[{{x, +, 1}}, Sign] on the real axis:

Plot the real and imaginary parts of the function:

Visualize Sign in three dimensions:

Plot the real part of the function:

Plot the imaginary part of the function:

Function Properties  (12)

Sign is defined for all real and complex inputs:

Function range of Sign for real inputs:

The range over the complex plane is the unit circle plus the origin:

Sign is an odd function:

Sign has mirror symmetry TemplateBox[{TemplateBox[{z}, Conjugate, SyntaxForm -> SuperscriptBox]}, Sign]=TemplateBox[{TemplateBox[{z}, Sign]}, Conjugate]:

Sign is not a differentiable function:

The difference quotient does not have a limit in the complex plane:

There is only a limit in certain directions, for example, the real direction:

Use RealSign to obtain this real-differentiable result:

Sign is not an analytic function:

It has both singularities and discontinuities:

Over the complex plane, it is singular everywhere but still discontinuous only at the origin:

Sign is nonincreasing:

Sign is not injective:

Sign is not surjective:

Sign is neither non-negative nor non-positive:

Sign is neither convex nor concave:

TraditionalForm formatting:

Function Identities and Simplifications  (5)

Expand assuming real variables x and y:

Simplify Sign using appropriate assumptions:

Express a complex number as a product of Sign and Abs:

is equal to :

TemplateBox[{TemplateBox[{z}, Sign]}, Abs]=1 for all non-zero :

Applications  (2)

Plot the real and imaginary parts of Sign over the complex plane:

Define Rademacher functions:

Plot (vertically shifted) Rademacher functions:

Check orthogonality over the unit interval:

Properties & Relations  (10)

Sign with simple arguments automatically evaluates to simpler form:

Sign is idempotent:

Use FullSimplify to simplify expressions involving Sign:

Simplify under additional assumptions:

Assume real‐valued variables:

Use Sign as a target function for ComplexExpand:

Use Sign in definite integration:

Integrate along a line in the complex plane, symbolically and numerically:

For complex values, the indefinite integral is path dependent:

The indefinite integral for real values:

Use in integral transforms:

Obtain Sign from integrals and limits:

Convert to Piecewise:

De‐nest:

Possible Issues  (5)

Sign is a function of a complex variable and is therefore not differentiable:

As a complex function, it is not possible to write Sign[z] without involving Conjugate[z]:

In particular, the limit that defines the derivative is direction dependent and therefore does not exist:

Use RealSign, which assumes its argument is real, to obtain a differentiable version of Sign:

For purely real or imaginary approximate arguments, Sign returns exact answers:

For general complex arguments, Sign tracks the precision of the input:

Sign can stay unevaluated for numeric arguments:

Machine‐precision numerical evaluation of Sign can give wrong results:

Arbitrary‐precision evaluation gives the correct result:

A larger setting for $MaxExtraPrecision can be needed:

Sign applied to a matrix does not give the matrix sign function:

Neat Examples  (3)

Form repeated convolution integrals starting with a symmetric product of three sign functions:

Approximate Sign through a generalized Fourier series:

Calculate rational approximations of Sign:

See Also

RealSign  RealAbs  Abs  Arg  FunctionSign  UnitStep  Piecewise  Clip  Positive  Negative  NonNegative  Greater  Simplify  Assumptions  Normalize

Tech Notes

    ▪
  • Numerical Functions
  • ▪
  • Piecewise Functions

Related Guides

    ▪
  • Numerical Functions
  • ▪
  • Complex Numbers
  • ▪
  • GPU Computing
  • ▪
  • Conditionals
  • ▪
  • GPU Computing with NVIDIA
  • ▪
  • GPU Computing with Apple
  • ▪
  • Representation of Numbers
  • ▪
  • Angles and Polar Coordinates

Related Links

  • MathWorld
  • The Wolfram Functions Site

History

Introduced in 1988 (1.0) | Updated in 1996 (3.0) ▪ 2021 (13.0)

Wolfram Research (1988), Sign, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Sign.html (updated 2021).

Text

Wolfram Research (1988), Sign, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Sign.html (updated 2021).

CMS

Wolfram Language. 1988. "Sign." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2021. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Sign.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (1988). Sign. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Sign.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_sign, author="Wolfram Research", title="{Sign}", year="2021", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Sign.html}", note=[Accessed: 01-December-2025]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2025_sign, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={Sign}, year={2021}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Sign.html}, note=[Accessed: 01-December-2025]}

Top
Introduction for Programmers
Introductory Book
Wolfram Function Repository | Wolfram Data Repository | Wolfram Data Drop | Wolfram Language Products
Top
  • Products
  • Wolfram|One
  • Mathematica
  • Notebook Assistant + LLM Kit
  • System Modeler

  • Wolfram|Alpha Notebook Edition
  • Wolfram|Alpha Pro
  • Mobile Apps

  • Wolfram Player
  • Wolfram Engine

  • Volume & Site Licensing
  • Server Deployment Options
  • Consulting
  • Wolfram Consulting
  • Repositories
  • Data Repository
  • Function Repository
  • Community Paclet Repository
  • Neural Net Repository
  • Prompt Repository

  • Wolfram Language Example Repository
  • Notebook Archive
  • Wolfram GitHub
  • Learning
  • Wolfram U
  • Wolfram Language Documentation
  • Webinars & Training
  • Educational Programs

  • Wolfram Language Introduction
  • Fast Introduction for Programmers
  • Fast Introduction for Math Students
  • Books

  • Wolfram Community
  • Wolfram Blog
  • Public Resources
  • Wolfram|Alpha
  • Wolfram Problem Generator
  • Wolfram Challenges

  • Computer-Based Math
  • Computational Thinking
  • Computational Adventures

  • Demonstrations Project
  • Wolfram Data Drop
  • MathWorld
  • Wolfram Science
  • Wolfram Media Publishing
  • Customer Resources
  • Store
  • Product Downloads
  • User Portal
  • Your Account
  • Organization Access

  • Support FAQ
  • Contact Support
  • Company
  • About Wolfram
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Events
Wolfram Community Wolfram Blog
Legal & Privacy Policy
WolframAlpha.com | WolframCloud.com
© 2025 Wolfram
© 2025 Wolfram | Legal & Privacy Policy |
English