Poll Results

Total votes: 3671

A lower-case letter x: 1569 (42.7%)
An asterisk (*): 1365 (37.2%)
Insert a proper multiplication symbol from a tool palette: 209 (5.7%)
I never need to type multiplication signs in non-code files: 194 (5.3%)
Type \times: 183 (5.0%)
Type some other code to produce the correct symbol: 83 (2.3%)
Type Alt-0215 on the numeric keypad: 53 (1.4%)
Type ×: 9 (0.2%)
Type Option-00D7: 3 (0.1%)
Type ×: 2 (0.1%)
Type 0215 Alt-X: 1 (0.0%)

Writing technical reports and papers, I often need to type multiplication signs. I use the Alt-0215 method, having long ago memorised this particular keyboard code. The most common "other" answer that I saw in comments was \cdot.