What is the "less than" symbol?

The "less than" symbol is often used in math and looks like a carrot. The symbol is also used in HTML coding.

When learning about "less than" and "greater than" in a math class, people often remember that the "less than" symbol looks like an L and features its tinier end first. There is also a similar symbol called "less than or equal to" which features the "less than" symbol with a straight line underneath it to denote that any number after the symbol is of equal or lesser value.