Subscript and superscript facts for kids

Have you ever seen small numbers or letters written a bit lower or higher than the main text? These are called subscripts and superscripts! They help us write things like chemical formulas or math problems in a clear way.

This picture shows examples of subscript and superscript. The first '2' in each example is designed to fit perfectly with the text. The second '2' is a smaller version of the regular number, moved manually. You can see how the first '2' looks much better!

Subscript is a small letter or number written slightly below the main line of text. It looks like it's "hanging" down. We often use subscripts in chemistry to show how many atoms are in a molecule. For example, in N₂, the "2" is a subscript. It tells us there are two nitrogen atoms. Another common example is H₂O, which is water. The "2" shows there are two hydrogen atoms.

Superscript is a small letter or number written slightly above the main line of text. It looks like it's "floating" up. Superscripts are often used in mathematics for exponents. For example, in 2⁵, the "5" is a superscript. It means you multiply 2 by itself five times (2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2). Superscripts can also be used for footnotes or trademarks.

Typing Subscripts and Superscripts

When you are writing on a computer, like in a word processor program such as Microsoft Word, there are quick ways to make text subscript or superscript.

• To make text subscript, you can often use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl and the equals sign (Ctrl+=).
• To make text superscript, you can often use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl, Shift, and the plus sign (Ctrl+Shift++).

See also

In Spanish: Subíndice y superíndice para niños

Images for kids

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  Subscript and superscript examples