By The Numbers Tutoring

The equal sign was invented by Robert Recorde, the Royal Court Physician for England's King Edward VI and Queen Mary, in 1557. Recorde was the most influential Welsh mathematician of the time. In addition to the equal sign, he also introduced algebra to his countrymen.

The equal sign allows you to use a shorthand symbol, =, instead of writing out the words 'is equal to' every time you show equivalency.