Short Math Guide for LATEX, version 1.

09 (2002-03-22) 10

3.18.1. Calligraphic letters (cmsy; no lowercase)

Usage: \mathcal{M}.

ABC DE F G HI J KLMN OP QRS T U V W X Y Z

3.18.2. Blackboard Bold letters (msbm; no lowercase)

Usage: \mathbb{R}.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

3.18.3. Fraktur letters (eufm)

Usage: \mathfrak{S}.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
4. Notations
4.1. Top and bottom embellishments These are visually similar to accents but gen-
erally span multiple symbols rather than being applied to a single base symbol. For ease
of reference, \widetilde and \widehat are redundantly included here and in the table of
math accents.

xxx
g \widetilde{xxx}
z}|{ −−→
xxx \overrightarrow{xxx}
xxx \overbrace{xxx}
xxx
d \widehat{xxx} xxx \underbrace{xxx} xxx
−−→ \underrightarrow{xxx}
|{z} ← →
xxx \overleftrightarrow{xxx}
xxx \overline{xxx} ←−− \overleftarrow{xxx}
xxx
xxx
←→ \underleftrightarrow{xxx}
xxx \underline{xxx} xxx
←−− \underleftarrow{xxx}

4.2. Extensible arrows \xleftarrow and \xrightarrow produce arrows that extend
automatically to accommodate unusually wide subscripts or superscripts. These commands
take one optional argument (the subscript) and one mandatory argument (the superscript,
possibly empty):
n+µ−1 n±i−1
A ←−−−−− B −−−−→ C (4.1)
T

\xleftarrow{n+\mu-1}\quad \xrightarrow[T]{n\pm i-1}

4.3. Affixing symbols to other symbols In addition to the standard accents (Sec-
tion 3.16), other symbols can be placed above or below a base symbol with the \overset and
\underset commands. For example, writing \overset{*}{X} will place a superscript-size
∗
∗ above the X, thus: X. See also the description of \sideset in Section 8.4.

4.4. Matrices The environments pmatrix, bmatrix, Bmatrix, vmatrix and Vmatrix
have (respectively) ( ), [ ], { }, | |, and k k delimiters built in. There is also a matrix environ-
ment sans delimiters, and an array environment that can be used to obtain left alignment
or other variations in the column specs.
\begin{pmatrix}
β∗
 
\alpha& \beta^{*}\\ α
\gamma^{*}& \delta γ∗ δ
\end{pmatrix}
To produce
a small matrix suitable for use in text, there is a smallmatrix environment
(e.g., ac db ) that comes closer to fitting within a single text line than a normal matrix.
This example was produced by
Short Math Guide for LATEX, version 1.09 (2002-03-22) 11

\bigl( \begin{smallmatrix}
a&b\\ c&d
\end{smallmatrix} \bigr)
To produce a row of dots in a matrix spanning a given number of columns, use \hdotsfor.
For example, \hdotsfor{3} in the second column of a four-column matrix will print a row
of dots across the final three columns.
For piece-wise function definitions there is a cases environment:
P_{r-j}=\begin{cases}
0& \text{if $r-j$ is odd},\\
r!\,(-1)^{(r-j)/2}& \text{if $r-j$ is even}.
\end{cases}
Notice the use of \text and the embedded math.
Note. The plain TEX form \matrix{...\cr...\cr} and the related commands \pmatrix, \cases should be
avoided in LATEX (and when the amsmath package is loaded they are disabled).

4.5. Math spacing commands When the amsmath package is used, all of these math
spacing commands can be used both in and out of math mode.
Abbrev. Spelled out Example Abbrev. Spelled out Example
no space 34 no space 34
\, \thinspace 34 \! \negthinspace 34
\: \medspace 34 \negmedspace 34
\; \thickspace 34 \negthickspace 34
\quad 3 4
\qquad 3 4
For finer control over math spacing, use \mspace and ‘math units’. One math unit, or mu,
is equal to 1/18 em. Thus to get a negative half \quad write \mspace{-9.0mu}.
There are also three commands that leave a space equal to the height and/or width of
a given fragment of LATEX material:
Example Result
\phantom{XXX} space as wide and high as three X’s
\hphantom{XXX} space as wide as three X’s; height 0
\vphantom{X} space of width 0, height = height of X

4.6. Dots For preferred placement of ellipsis dots (raised or on-line) in various contexts
there is no general consensus. It may therefore be considered a matter of taste. By using
the semantically oriented commands
• \dotsc for “dots with commas”
• \dotsb for “dots with binary operators/relations”
• \dotsm for “multiplication dots”
• \dotsi for “dots with integrals”
• \dotso for “other dots” (none of the above)
instead of \ldots and \cdots, you make it possible for your document to be adapted to
different conventions on the fly, in case (for example) you have to submit it to a publisher
who insists on following house tradition in this respect. The default treatment for the
various kinds follows American Mathematical Society conventions:

We have the series $A_1,A_2,\dotsc$, We have the series A1 , A2 , . . . , the re-

the regional sum $A_1+A_2+\dotsb$, gional sum A1 + A2 + · · · , the orthogonal
the orthogonal product $A_1A_2\dotsm$, product A1 A2 · · · , and the infinite inte-
and the infinite integral gral
\[\int_{A_1}\int_{A_2}\dotsi\].
Z Z
···.
A1 A2
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4.7. Nonbreaking dashes The command \nobreakdash suppresses the possibility of a

linebreak after the following hyphen or dash. For example, if you write ‘pages 1–9’ as
pages 1\nobreakdash--9 then a linebreak will never occur between the dash and the 9.
You can also use \nobreakdash to prevent undesirable hyphenations in combinations like
$p$-adic. For frequent use, it’s advisable to make abbreviations, e.g.,
\newcommand{\p}{$p$\nobreakdash}% for "\p-adic"
\newcommand{\Ndash}{\nobreakdash\textendash}% for "pages 1\Ndash 9"
% For "\n dimensional" ("n-dimensional"):
\newcommand{\n}[1]{$n$\nobreakdash-\hspace{0pt}}
The last example shows how to prohibit a linebreak after the hyphen but allow normal
hyphenation in the following word. (It suffices to add a zero-width space after the hyphen.)

4.8. Roots The command \sqrt produces a square root. To specify an alternate radix
give an optional argument.
√
r
n 3
\sqrt{\frac{n}{n-1} S} S, \sqrt[3]{2} 2
n−1
4.9. Boxed formulas The command \boxed puts a box around its argument, like \fbox
except that the contents are in math mode:

η ≤ C(δ(η) + ΛM (0, δ)) (4.2)

\boxed{\eta \leq C(\delta(\eta) +\Lambda_M(0,\delta))}

If you need to box an equation including the equation number, see the FAQ that comes
with the amsmath package.

5. Fractions and related constructions

5.1. The \frac, \dfrac, and \tfrac commands The \frac command takes two ar-
guments—numerator and denominator—and typesets them in normal fraction form. Use
\dfrac or \tfrac to overrule LATEX’s guess about the proper size to use for the fraction’s
contents (t = text-style, d = display-style).
1 1
log2 c(f ) k log2 c(f ) (5.1)
k
\begin{equation}
\frac{1}{k}\log_2 c(f)\;\tfrac{1}{k}\log_2 c(f)\;
\end{equation}
θ+ψ
nπ
<z =  2   2 . (5.2)
2 
θ+ψ 1 B 
+ log  
2 2 A
\begin{equation}
\Re{z} =\frac{n\pi \dfrac{\theta +\psi}{2}}{
\left(\dfrac{\theta +\psi}{2}\right)^2 + \left( \dfrac{1}{2}
\log \left\lvert\dfrac{B}{A}\right\rvert\right)^2}.
\end{equation}

The \binom, \dbinom, and \tbinom commands For binomial expressions such as
5.2.
n
k there are \binom, \dbinom and \tbinom commands:
   
k k−1 k k−2
2k − 2 + 2 (5.3)
1 2
2^k-\binom{k}{1}2^{k-1}+\binom{k}{2}2^{k-2}