What does this symbol mean '&'?

Question: What does this symbol mean '&'?

Step 1: Identify the symbol

The symbol in question is &, which is a commonly used character in English and programming.

Step 2: Understand its name and usage

• The symbol & is called an ampersand.
• It is a shorthand representation of the word "and".
• In writing, it’s often used in names (e.g., Johnson & Johnson, AT&T).
• In programming (especially C, C++, and JavaScript), it’s used for:
  • Bitwise AND operations
  • Logical AND operations (when doubled: &&)

Step 3: Eliminate incorrect options

• Caret ( ^ ) – Used in mathematics and regex, not the same symbol.
• Bar ( | ) – Used for logical OR and piping in Unix.
• Reversed Caret – Not a standard or recognized term.

Final Answer: Ampersand