<P> The symbols < and > first appear in Artis Analyticae Praxis ad Aequationes Algebraicas Resolvendas ( The Analytical Arts Applied to Solving Algebraic Equations ) by Thomas Harriot ( 1560 -- 1621 ) , which was published posthumously in 1631 . The text states : `` Signum majoritatis ut a > b significet a majorem quam b '' and `` Signum minoritatis ut a < b significet a minorem quam b . '' </P>
<P> The symbols < and > first appear in Artis Analyticae Praxis ad Aequationes Algebraicas Resolvendas ( The Analytical Arts Applied to Solving Algebraic Equations ) by Thomas Harriot ( 1560 -- 1621 ) , which was published posthumously in 1631 . The text states : `` Signum majoritatis ut a > b significet a majorem quam b '' and `` Signum minoritatis ut a < b significet a minorem quam b . '' </P>
who invented the greater than and less than sign
who invented the greater than and less than sign
Thomas Harriot
Thomas Harriot