A quick guide to L
A
T
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X
What is L
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T
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X?
L
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T
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X(usually pronounced “LAY teck,” sometimes “LAH
teck,” and never “LAY tex”) is a mathematics typesetting
program that is the standard for most professional
mathematics writing. It is based on the typesetting program
T
E
X created by Donald Knuth of Stanford University (his first
version appeared in 1978). Leslie Lamp ort was responsible for
creating L
A
T
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X a more user friendly version of T
E
X. A team of
L
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T
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X programmers created the current version, L
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T
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X 2ε.
Math vs. text vs. functions
In properly typeset mathematics variables appear in italics
(e.g., f(x) = x2+ 2x−3). The exception to this rule is
predefined functions (e.g., sin(x)). Thus it is important to
always treat text, variables, and functions correctly. See the
difference between xand x, -1 and −1, and sin(x) and sin(x).
There are two ways to present a mathematical expression—
inline or as an equation.
Inline mathematical expressions
Inline expressions occur in the middle of a sentence. To
produce an inline expression, place the math expression
between dollar signs ($). For example, typing
$90^{\circ}$ is the same as $\frac{\pi}{2}$ radians
yields 90◦is the same as π
2radians.
Equations
Equations are mathematical expressions that are given their
own line and are centered on the page. These are usually used
for important equations that deserve to be showcased on their
own line or for large equations that cannot fit inline. To
produce an inline expression, place the mathematical
expression between the symbols \[ and \]. Typing
\[x=\frac{-b\pm\sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}\] yields
x=−b±√b2−4ac
2a.
Displaystyle
To get full-sized inline mathematical expressions use
\displaystyle. Use this sparingly. Typing
I want this $\displaystyle \sum_{n=1}^{\infty}
\frac{1}{n}$, not this $\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}
\frac{1}{n}$. yields
I want this
∞
X
n=1
1
n, not this P∞
n=1
1
n.
Images
You can put images (pdf, png, jpg, or gif) in your document.
They need to be in the same location as your .tex file when
you compile the document. Omit [width=.5in] if you want
the image to be full-sized.
\begin{figure}[ht]
\includegraphics[width=.5in]{imagename.jpg}
\caption{The (optional) caption goes here.}
\end{figure}
Text decorations
Your text can be italics (\textit{italics}), boldface
(\textbf{boldface}), or underlined
(\underline{underlined}).
Your math can contain boldface, R(\mathbf{R}), or
blackboard bold, R(\mathbb{R}). You may want to used these
to express the sets of real numbers (Ror R), integers (Zor Z),
rational numbers (Qor Q), and natural numbers (Nor N).
To have text appear in a math expression use \text.
(0,1]=\{x\in\mathbb{R}:x>0\text{ and }x\le 1\} yields
(0,1] = {x∈R:x > 0 and x≤1}. (Without the \text
command it treats “and” as three variables:
(0,1] = {x∈R:x > 0andx ≤1}.)
Spaces and new lines
L
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X ignores extra spaces and new lines. For example,
This sentence will look
fine after it is compiled.
This sentence will look fine after it is compiled.
Leave one full empty line between two paragraphs. Place \\ at
the end of a line to create a new line (but not create a new
paragraph).
This
compiles
like\\
this.
This compiles
like
this.
Use \noindent to prevent a paragraph from indenting.
Comments
Use %to create a comment. Nothing on the line after the %will
be typeset. $f(x)=\sin(x)$ %this is the sine function
yields f(x) = sin(x)
Delimiters
description command output
parentheses (x) (x)
brackets [x] [x]
curly braces \{x\} {x}
To make your delimiters large enough to fit the content, use
them together with \right and \left. For example,
\left\{\sin\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)\right\}_{n}^
{\infty} produces
sin 1
n∞
n
.
Curly braces are non-printing characters that are used to
gather text that has more than one character. Observe the
differences between the four expressions x^2,x^{2},x^2t,
x^{2t} when typeset: x2,x2,x2t,x2t.
Lists
You can produce ordered and unordered lists.
description command output
unordered list
\begin{itemize}
\item
Thing 1
\item
Thing 2
\end{itemize}
•Thing 1
•Thing 2
ordered list
\begin{enumerate}
\item
Thing 1
\item
Thing 2
\end{enumerate}
1. Thing 1
2. Thing 2
Symbols (in math mode)
The basics
description command output
addition ++
subtraction -−
plus or minus \pm ±
multiplication (times) \times ×
multiplication (dot) \cdot ·
division symbol \div ÷
division (slash) //
circle plus \oplus ⊕
circle times \otimes ⊗
equal ==
not equal \ne 6=
less than <<
greater than >>
less than or equal to \le ≤
greater than or equal to \ge ≥
approximately equal to \approx ≈
infinity \infty ∞
dots 1,2,3,\ldots 1,2,3,...
dots 1+2+3+\cdots 1+2+3+···
fraction \frac{a}{b} a
b
square root \sqrt{x} √x
nth root \sqrt[n]{x} n
√x
exponentiation a^b ab
subscript a_b ab
absolute value |x| |x|
natural log \ln(x) ln(x)
logarithms \log_{a}b logab
exponential function e^x=\exp(x) ex= exp(x)
degree \deg(f) deg(f)
