POSITION DETECTING SENSOR

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a position detecting sensor which can prevent erroneous detection even when the parts constituting the sensor have production tolerance or assemblage tolerance. SOLUTION: A magnet 4 is provided in such a way that the magnet 4 can move in a stroke direction S relatively to an IC package 3 incorporating a magnetoresistance element 2, and the magnetic poles of the magnet 4 are directed in the direction perpendicular to the stroke direction S. On the other hand, the element 2 is provided with a plurality of magnetoresistance bodies 6 and the output characteristic of the element 2 in the magnetic field direction which varies depending upon the arranging pattern of the bodies 6 has a sine waveform. The center line L of the element 2 is extended in the same direction as that of the magnetic field in which the output of the element 2 becomes '0' and the element 2 is set at an angle from the magnet 4, so that the center line L may be inclined from the stroke direction S at about 45 deg..