VINCULUM

VINCULUM, in Algebra, a character in form of a line or stroke drawn over a factor, divisor, or dividend, when compounded of several letters or quantities to connect them, and shows that they are to be multiplied or divided, &c. together by the other term.

Thus $d\; \backslash times\; a\; +\; b\; -\; c$ shows that $d$ is to be multiplied into $a\; +\; b\; -\; c$.