3. IDENTIFY AND INTERPRET SYMBOLS
•GENERAL SYMBOLS
1. A QUESTION MARK SYMBOL REPRESENTS A
QUESTION AND ALLOWS YOU TO
ACCESS HELP OR ONLINE DOCUMENTATION.
4. 2. A LIGHT BULB ICON SYMBOL REPRESENTS A TIP
OR AN IDEA. FOR EXAMPLE, ON THIS PAGE, WE
HAVE SEVERAL TIPS THAT CAN BE QUICKLY
IDENTIFIED WITH THE LIGHT BULB NEXT TO THE
WORD "TIP."
5. • THE GEAR SYMBOL INDICATES A CONFIGURATION OR
SETTINGS OPTION. FOR EXAMPLE, MANY PROGRAMS
USE A GEAR ICON FOR BUTTONS THAT ALLOW YOU TO
ADJUST A PROGRAM'S SETTINGS. ONLINE SERVICES
MAY USE A GEAR ICON FOR THE AREA THAT LETS YOU
CHANGE YOUR ACCOUNT SETTINGS
6. A SYMBOL WITH A WRENCH OR A WRENCH
AND SCREWDRIVER IS ANOTHER SYMBOL THAT CAN BE
USED IN PLACE OF THE GEAR TO INDICATE AN AREA TO
ADJUST THE SETTINGS OR OTHER OPTIONS.
7. • A SPEECH BUBBLE SYMBOL IS USED IN COMMUNICATIONS
TO INDICATE THERE IS A MESSAGE THAT NEEDS TO BE
READ OR THAT SOMEONE IS TYPING A MESSAGE. FOR
EXAMPLE, ON AN IPHONE, THE MESSAGES ICON AND EACH
OF ITS MESSAGES USES THE SPEECH BUBBLE SYMBOL AND
WHEN SOMEONE IS TYPING A SPEECH BUBBLE WITH THREE
PERIODS IS SHOWN
8. •THE CHECK MARK SYMBOL INDICATES
COMPLETION OR THAT SOMETHING IS OK.
FOR EXAMPLE, A DOWNLOAD DIALOG BOX
MAY SHOW A GREEN CHECK MARK WHEN
THE DOWNLOAD IS COMPLETE
9. • A PLUS SYMBOL OR A HORIZONTAL LINE
CROSSING A VERTICAL LINE IS ALSO A SYMBOL
USED AS AN INDICATION TO INCREASE, ADD,
MOVE DOWN, OR ZOOM IN ON SOFTWARE
PROGRAMS AND HARDWARE DEVICES.
10. • A MINUS SYMBOL OR A HORIZONTAL LINE IS A SYMBOL
USED AS AN INDICATION FOR DECREASING,
REMOVING, MOVING UP, OR ZOOMING OUT ON
SOFTWARE PROGRAMS AND HARDWARE DEVICES. ON
A MICROSOFT WINDOWS KEYBOARD, THE MINUS OR
UNDERSCORE IS ALSO SHOWN ON THE TOP-RIGHT
SIDE OF A WINDOW TO REPRESENT THE MINIMIZE
FEATURE
11. • A CIRCLE WITH A LINE THROUGH IT IS A SYMBOL
THAT REPRESENTS CANCEL OR STOP AND MAY
BE OVER THE TOP OF ANOTHER SYMBOL. FOR
EXAMPLE, A SPEAKER SYMBOL WITH THIS OVER
IT INDICATES MUTE. TIP: THIS SYMBOL MAY ALSO
BE REPRESENTED BY AN X
12. • THREE ARROWS GOING AROUND A TRIANGLE IS A
SYMBOL THAT REPRESENTS RECYCLE OR
RECYCLING. ANYTHING WITH THIS SYMBOL THAT
IS NOT CROSSED OUT SHOULD BE RECYCLED
13. • A SYMBOL WITH A SERIES OF BOXES AND JAGGED LINES
WITH BOXES IN THE CORNERS LIKE THAT SHOWN HERE
IS A QR CODE AND USED TO STORE INFORMATION FOR
SCANNING. FOR EXAMPLE, YOU COULD SCAN THE QR
CODE SHOWN HERE TO OPEN THE COMPUTER HOPE
WEB PAGE. SIMILAR MARKINGS COULD ALSO BE
A MATRIX CODE OR A BARCODE
14. • A PADLOCK SYMBOL IS USED TO REPRESENT
WHEN ANYTHING IS LOCKED OR SECURE. FOR
EXAMPLE, A KEYBOARD KEY WITH A LOCK CAN
GIVE YOU THE OPTION TO LOCK THE COMPUTER.
