Vectors are usually denoted in lowercase boldface, as in u , v and w , or in lowercase italic boldface, as in a. (Uppercase letters are typically used to represent matrices.) Other conventions include a → → or a, especially in handwriting. Alternatively, some use a tilde (~) or a wavy underline drawn beneath the symbol, e.g. a ∼ ∼ , which is a convention for indicating boldface type. If the vector represents a directed distance or displacement from a point A to a point B (see figure), it can also be denoted as A B ⟶ ⟶ or AB. In German literature, it was especially common to represent vectors with small fraktur letters such as a .