+-------------------------------------------------------------------+ | LaTeX Note 007 jodys@helluin.org | | Equations 3/2/2014 | | v0.05 | +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ Let's just dive in and pick it up as we go. The inline notation to start math mode is $ ... $ anything in between that will get typeset as an equation. $ a + b = c $ To make a fraction \frac{a}{b} If you need a percent sign, you need to escape it; LaTeX uses % as a comment delimiter. \% To add subscripts $ a_1 + b_2 = c_3 $ Superscripts $ a^2 + b^2 = c^2 $ If you need more than one expression, or more than one digit for that matter, in your subscripts or superscripts surround them with braces $ a^{n-1} + b^27 = n $ If you would like to be able to typeset the notation for the statement "x is an element of the set of real numbers", you can use $x \in \mathbb{R}$ The \mathbb (blackboard) uses the amsfont package which is called in the amsmath package Square roots are easy! $\sqrt{x}$ So are cube roots (and n!) $\sqrt[n]{x}$ Topology Stuff Closure In your preamble define \newcommand{\overbar}[1]{\mkern 1.5mu\overline{\mkern-1.5mu#1\mkern-1.5mu}\mkern 1.5mu} Then $\overbar{\mathbb{R}}$ is the closure of the reals. Interior $\mathring{A}$ Boundary $\partial{S}$ Analysis Stuff Integral Spacing Be sure to do integrals with the proper spacing using a \, to add just a bit of space after the dt. $\in_0^1 f(t) \, dt$ Function names when using function names in equations be sure to ask LaTeX to typset them correctly by prefacing the function name with \ $\sin(x)$ looks substantially better than $sin(x)$ Misc. Symbols ellipsis \cdot right arrow \rightarrow implication arrow \Rightarrow Page Elements Beyond the basics of setting the mathematical type, which is mostly just a matter of getting to know TeX, there is also the issue of how your mathematics will fit into the rest of the page. Equations can be inline, by using $$ as shown above, but if you need to write more than one line, then you will want to use different markup. Aligned equations Without numbering \begin{align*} x &= y^2\\ \sqrt{x} &= y \end{align*} With numbering (a (1) after the first line, (2) after the second) \begin{align} x &= y^2\\ \sqrt{x} &= y \end{align} With numbering on one line only (\notag after end of line you don't want numbered) \begin{align} x &= y^2 \notag\\ \sqrt{x} &= y \end{align} Piecewise Function The key to this is the combination of the \left\{ (remember the backslash before the {) and the array enviroment. \begin{align*} f(x, y)= \left\{ \begin{array}{rr} \frac{4 x^2 y}{x^4 + y^2}&: x^2+y^2 \neq 0\\ 0&: x^2+y^2=0 \end{array} \right. \end{align*}