# LaTeX command for symbol needed. looks like crossed equal

I can’t find the LaTeX command for the symbol below. Can anyone help me out to find this symbol? I wasn't able to find it with Detexify.

• what does this symbol mean? – Francis Aug 7 '13 at 7:57
• To the voters for closing as duplicate: before doing this one should ensure that the symbol can be found with those means. – egreg Aug 7 '13 at 8:52
• @egreg In case of these ever-returning symbol questions, I'd rather close any that doesn't state explicitly that the OP already tried Detexify. – lockstep Aug 7 '13 at 13:32
• @lockstep So, before voting, ask the OP. – egreg Aug 7 '13 at 15:01

Well here is one that looks kinda like cheating, it uses amsmath only, though adding calc will make the definition much simpler:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}

\newlength{\crossl}
\settowidth{\crossl}{$\times$}
\newlength{\ceql}
\settowidth{\ceql}{$\times=$}
\newcommand{\crosseq}{\mathrel{\makebox[\crossl][l]{$\times\hspace{-\ceql}=$}}}

\begin{document}
$f(x)\crosseq g(x)\crosseq h(x)$
\end{document}


Result:

One can also play around with the position and the symbols used:

\newcommand{\crosseq}{\mathrel{\makebox[7.7778pt][l]{$\neq$\hspace{-6.7778pt}\raisebox{-2.5pt}{$\backslash$}}}}


EDIT: Since this answer is chose I will add some more solution, this time using egreg's suggestion as poking around with boxes will likely create unexpected spacing issue:

\newcommand{\crosseq}{\mathrel{\ooalign{\hidewidth$/$\hidewidth\cr\ooalign{\hidewidth$\backslash$\hidewidth\cr$=$\cr}\cr}}}


or

\newcommand{\crosseq}{\mathrel{\ooalign{\hidewidth$/$\hidewidth\cr\ooalign{\hidewidth\raisebox{-2pt}{$\backslash$}\hidewidth\cr$=$\cr}\cr}}}


Result:

EDIT2: Add [l] option to \makebox in order to adjust alignment.

• Why \DeclareMathOperator? I'd say it's a \mathrel. However, \mathrel{\ooalign{\hidewidth$\times$\hidewidth\cr$=$\cr}} is simpler. – egreg Aug 7 '13 at 8:47
• @egreg: good call, it should be a relation. – Francis Aug 7 '13 at 9:00

Depending on your usage, the following may suffice:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{graphicx}% http://ctan.org/pkg/graphicx
\newcommand{\crosseq}{\mathrel{\ooalign{$\neq$\cr\reflectbox{$\neq$}\cr}}}
\begin{document}
$f(x) = g(x) \neq h(x) \crosseq i(x)$
\end{document}


The symbol \crosseq consists of an overlay of \neq and a reflected \neq. For a short lesson in \ooalign and symbol overlaying, see \subseteq + \circ as a single symbol (“open subset”).

• hi its not working here Werner. it displays 2 \neq nearer only,,, – ravi Aug 7 '13 at 7:49
• @ravi: Do you receive errors? Did you include the graphicx package? Did you copy it correctly? What "[is] not working"? – Werner Aug 7 '13 at 7:52
• i copied the above entire code and paste it in tex file and run it. im not getting the exact output what displayed here – ravi Aug 7 '13 at 8:03
• @ravi: I'm using one of the basic packages/tools (graphicx) and compiling under pdflatex. Note that \crosseq can only be used in math mode. Are you getting an error or a warning? – Werner Aug 7 '13 at 8:11

Just for a change, no \ooalign:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{graphicx,calc}

% make \widthof usable with \hspace
% http://tex.stackexchange.com/a/99242
\makeatletter
\def\@hspace#1{\begingroup\setlength\dimen@{#1}\hskip\dimen@\endgroup}
\makeatother

\newcommand{\rnot}{%
\mathrel{%
\text{%
\makebox[0pt][l]{%
\hspace{\widthof{$=$}}\reflectbox{$\not$}%
}%
}%
}%
}
\newcommand{\crosseq}{\rnot\not=}

\begin{document}
$a\crosseq b$
\end{document}


• This looks nicer than the first answer, and especially than the one based on xcancel as the cross is vertically centred on the = sign – Chris H Aug 7 '13 at 9:24

You might consider using the cancel package. Its command \xcancel places a cross over any given symbol. For a relation symbol like = you should enclose the whole construct in \mathrel to get the correct horizontal spacing:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{cancel}

\newcommand{\cancelledeq}{\mathrel{\xcancel{=}}}

\begin{document}

$$a = b \cancelledeq c$$

\end{document}


Poor man's code (simplified and stolen from egreg's):

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{mathtools}
\usepackage{graphicx}
%
\newcommand{\crosseq}{%
\mathrel{%
\text{%
{$\neq$\reflectbox{$\not$}}%
}%
}%
}

\begin{document}
$a\crosseq b$
\end{document}


on the theory that there was some meaning to the asymmetry of the original drawing, and stealing egreg's very nice name for the symbol, here's another approach.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{mathtools}
\usepackage{amssymb}

\newcommand{\crosseq}{\mathrlap{{}\mathrel{\smallsetminus}{}}\not=}

\begin{document}
$a\crosseq b$
\end{document}