What do Americans use this # sign for?

Question

In the UK we call # a sharp, I believe in the states it's called a Pound. Indeed you even have it on the same key on the US keyboard as we have the £ sign, that we call a pound.
So for what purpose would you use your # pound symbol and would you ever use our £ symbol for anything?

Though I believe you still call the language C# C-Sharp.

Great stuff people, and thanks.

One further question, would you ever see a sign in a market with:

Tomatoes* $2 per #

as opposed to

Tomatoes** £1 per lb

here in Britain

*pronounced tamayda
**pronounced tomahtoe

Answer 1

Well, as the other answerers stated:
C# = C Sharp in music
# 7 = "number" 7
# = "pound" sign on the phone number pad
lb. = "pound" in measurement
And we only use your "pound" sign (not even on my keyboard so I can't type it in) when referring to British currency.

BUT, I also wanted to add that most of us pronounce tomato as "tamaydoh" rather that "tamayda." :-)
I'm still embarrassed though. We just butcher this language, don't we?

Answer 2

The other answerers are right about # being used for number and for pound (on the phone). .And yes, C# is C-Sharp. However, using # for sharp is used only in music terms in the US, since we call # the "pound sign" (not to be confused with £, which we would call a "British pound").

Answer 3

It's used for # 1 number 1 # equals number

Answer 4

yes, in music # is a sharp, to raise a note half a step.

On a keypad # is pound.

# is also the symbol for number.

# also looks lie tic-tac-toe on a sheet of paper.

No, we don't use your symbol for anything.

Answer 5

# = number
# = pound on the phone

Answer 6

number

Answer 7

pound or number

Answer 8

its a sign for numbers
and yes in music its sharp

Answer 9

# = number

Answer 10

Hmm.. dunno, but in Australia, it's called a HASH. And in the medical world, it stands for "fracture" (eg. ? # femur, means... "query, fractured femur")... I know it's completely off topic, but thought I'd throw it in anyways!! lol