# \div

Used in physics contexts to represent the divergence operator applied to vector fields, with optional delimited arguments

https://texform.dev/latex/commands/div

## Metadata

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Topic | [Physics: vectors](https://texform.dev/latex/topics/physics-vectors) |
| Packages | physics |
| Allowed mode | math |
| Tags |  |
| Commonality | low |
| Kind | prefix |

## Syntax

### physics

Argument specification: `d<(,)><[,]><{,}>`

Used in physics contexts to represent the divergence operator applied to vector fields, with optional delimited arguments

## Examples

```latex
\div x
```

[Open in Playground](https://play.texform.dev/?input=%5Cdiv+x)

```latex
\div{F}
```

[Open in Playground](https://play.texform.dev/?input=%5Cdiv%7BF%7D)

```latex
\div(F)
```

[Open in Playground](https://play.texform.dev/?input=%5Cdiv%28F%29)

```latex
\div[F]
```

[Open in Playground](https://play.texform.dev/?input=%5Cdiv%5BF%5D)

## Renderer support

| Package | MathJax | KaTeX | XeTeX |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| physics | full | full | full |

## Usage frequency

<0.01% of formulas in the measured corpus contain this entry, rank 183 of 263 entries with frequency data.

## In TeXForm

TeXForm parses this entry as prefix syntax; the package determines its argument specification.

### Expands to (physics)

```latex
\div
```

→

```latex
\vnabla\vdot
```

If followed by `{...}`, it expands to `\vnabla\vdot \left\{ ... \right\}` or `\vnabla\vdot { ... }` depending on fencing.

## Equivalent forms

```latex
\divergence
```

exact. Both names map to the same physics-package VectorOperator entry with operator \\vnabla\\vdot.

```latex
\vnabla\vdot
```

approximate. This produces the same operator tokens, but it does not include the helper's special handling for an immediately following ( or [.

## See also

- [\\curl](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/curl)
- [\\divergence](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/divergence)
- [\\div](https://texform.dev/latex/symbols/div)

## Test cases

### physics

| Input | Case | MathJax | KaTeX | XeTeX |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| \div | Positive: baseline | Pass | Pass | Pass |
| \div (a) | Positive: vary:d[0] | Pass | Pass | Pass |