Theta facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Greek alphabet
Αα	Alpha	Νν	Nu
Ββ	Beta	Ξξ	Xi
Γγ	Gamma	Οο	Omicron
Δδ	Delta	Ππ	Pi
Εε	Epsilon	Ρρ	Rho
Ζζ	Zeta	Σσ	Sigma
Ηη	Eta	Ττ	Tau
Θθ	Theta	Υυ	Upsilon
Ιι	Iota	Φφ	Phi
Κκ	Kappa	Χχ	Chi
Λλ	Lambda	Ψψ	Psi
Μμ	Mu	Ωω	Omega
Other letters
Ϝϝ	Digamma	Ϟϟ	Koppa
Ϛϛ	Stigma	Ϡϡ	Sampi
Ͱͱ	Heta	Ϸϸ	Sho
Ϻϻ	San

Theta (written as Θ for uppercase and θ for lowercase) is a special letter from the Greek alphabet. It's like the "th" sound you hear in words such as "think" or "math." People in Ancient Greece used it, and it's still used in Modern Greek today.

What is Theta?

Theta is one of the 24 letters that make up the Greek alphabet. It has a unique sound, similar to the "th" in English words like "thin" or "thick." This sound has been part of the Greek language for thousands of years.

Theta in Numbers and Other Alphabets

In the old system of Greek numerals, the letter Theta had a value of 9. Imagine it like our number 9! Also, another letter called Ѳ in the Cyrillic alphabet (which is used for languages like Russian) actually came from Theta. So, Theta has a bit of a family tree!

Theta in Science and Math

Theta isn't just for words; it's super useful in science and math too!

• In mathematics, the lowercase θ is often used as a symbol for an angle. So, when you see θ in a math problem, it usually means you're dealing with an angle.
• The uppercase Θ is used in something called "big-theta notation." This is a way to describe how fast computer programs or math problems grow in complexity. It's a bit like saying "this problem will take about this much time to solve."
• In meteorology (the study of weather), the lowercase θ is used to represent "potential temperature." This helps scientists understand how air moves and changes temperature in the atmosphere.

Images for kids

• 

  The alphabet on a black figure vessel, with a point-and-circle theta.

• 

  The name ARAÐÐOVNA on a Gaulish tombstone.

See also

In Spanish: Θ para niños