Delta (Upper) in LaTeX (\Delta)

Where it is used

Uppercase Greek Delta, used for a finite change in a quantity, the Laplacian, and discriminants.

Physics and chemistry write \Delta x for a change in position and \Delta H for enthalpy change, as in \Delta G = \Delta H - T\Delta S. In analysis \Delta is the Laplace operator \Delta u = \nabla^2 u, and in algebra it is the discriminant \Delta = b^2 - 4ac. Geometers use it for a triangle, although \triangle is a separate, unfilled symbol better suited to that. Capital Greek letters are upright; use \varDelta for an italic version. Do not confuse \Delta with \nabla, which is the same triangle inverted.

Also listed under: Physics, Chemistry

Minimal compilable example

Paste this into an empty .tex file and compile it with pdfLaTeX, XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX.

\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
Delta (Upper): $\Delta$

\[ \Delta G = \Delta H - T\,\Delta S \]
\end{document}

Related symbols

• Epsilon\epsilon
• Delta\delta
• Epsilon (Variant)\varepsilon
• Gamma (Upper)\Gamma
• Zeta\zeta
• Gamma\gamma

Frequently asked questions

How do I write Delta (Upper) in LaTeX?

Type \Delta in math mode, for example $\Delta G = \Delta H - T\,\Delta S$. It works in plain LaTeX without loading any package.

Which package do I need for \Delta?

None. \Delta is part of standard LaTeX, so it compiles with nothing in the preamble but the document class.

Can I use \Delta in text mode, or only in math mode?

Only in math mode. Outside $...$ LaTeX stops with "Missing $ inserted", so write $\Delta$ in running text. If you only need the glyph in text, paste the Unicode character Δ instead (with XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX and a font that has it).