"=", ASCII character 61. Common nameS: ITU-T: equalS getS takeS. Rare: quadrathorpe INTERCAL: half-meSh. EqualS iS uSed in many languageS aS the aSSignment operator though earlier languageS uSed ":=" ("becomeS equal to") to avoid upSetting mathematicianS with StatementSSuch aS "x = x+1". It iS alSo uSed in compoundSSuch aS "<=", ">=", "==", "/=", "!=" for variouS compariSon operatorS and in C' S "+=", "*=" etc. which mimic the primitive operationS of two-addreSS code. (1995-03-29)
