Symbols:Arithmetic and Algebra/Multiplication (Arithmetic)/Historical Note
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Historical Note on $\times$ Symbol for Multiplication
Use of the symbol $\times$ for multiplication of numbers was invented by William Oughtred, and published in his $1631$ work Clavis Mathematicae.
It was criticised by Leibniz, on the grounds that it was too similar to the letter $x$.
His preferred notation was $\cdot$, which is now widespread.