Institute of Information Science - University of Miskolc

The goal of the lesson is to become familiar with the TeX language, specifically for the purpose of writing mathematical expressions.

What is LaTeX?

1. LaTeX is a high-quality typesetting system, primarily used for technical and scientific documents. It is particularly powerful for formatting complex mathematical equations and formulas, making it a preferred choice in academia and research.

What are the advantages of LaTeX?

1. Precision and Control: LaTeX allows precise formatting of documents and mathematical expressions.
2. Consistency: LaTeX automatically manages references, labels, and numbering, ensuring consistency throughout your document.
3. Professional Quality: Documents created in LaTeX look professional and are publication-ready.

Getting Started:

1. Overleaf: We will use Overleaf, a free online LaTeX editor, which allows you to write and compile LaTeX documents directly in your browser.
   1. Sign up at Overleaf.
   2. Overleaf offers collaborative features, version control, and a vast library of LaTeX templates.

Basic Document Structure:

\documentclass{article}  % Specifies the document class (article, report, book, etc.)
\begin{document}          % Begins the content of the document
% Your content goes here
\end{document}            % Ends the content of the document

1. \documentclass{article}: Defines the overall layout and style of the document.
2. \begin{document} and \end{document}: Everything between these commands will be included in the output document.

1. Inline Math: For mathematical expressions that appear within a line of text, use $…$.
   1. E.g. $E = mc^2$ is written as $E = mc^2$ in LaTeX.
2. Display Math: For standalone equations, use $$…$$.
   1. E.g. To display $$E = mc^2$$ on its own line, use $$E = mc^2$$.

\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}

The equation $E = mc^2$ is famous in physics. It is so important that we can highlight $$E = mc^2$$ by putting it to a separate line.

\end{document}

This code will became:

1. Exponents (superscripts): Use ^ for superscripts.
   1. E.g. $x^2$ is written as $x^2$.
2. Subscripts: Use `_` for subscripts.
   1. E.g. $a_1$ is written as $a_1$.
3. Fractions: Use `\frac{numerator}{denominator}`.
   1. E.g. $\frac{a}{b}$ is written as $\frac{a}{b}$.

\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}

% Exponent and subscript
The formula for the area of a circle is $A = \pi r^2$.

% Fraction
The equation $\frac{a}{b} = c$ represents a fraction.

% Combined
The equation for kinetic energy is $K = \frac{1}{2}mv^2$.

\end{document}

This code will become:

LaTeX provides a variety of symbols to accurately represent mathematical expressions.

1. The plus-minus symbol is used to denote values that can be either positive or negative and is written as \pm, which displays as $\pm$.
2. To express square roots, the square root symbol is used, which is written as \sqrt{…}. For example, \sqrt{2} produces $\sqrt{2}$
3. For higher-order roots, such as a cubic root, the syntax is \sqrt[3]{…}, yielding $\sqrt[3]{9}$
4. Another common symbol is the infinity symbol, represented as \infty, and it is displayed as $\infty$
5. For greater than or equal to and less than or equal to symbols, use \geq and \leq, which render as $\geq$ and $\leq$, respectively.

1. The `align` environment is used to align multiple equations. Each line of the equation is aligned using the `&` symbol, typically before the equal sign or any other operator.
2. Use `\\` to separate lines.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\begin{document}

\begin{align}
  3x + 2y + 0z &= 6 \\
  4x - y &= 25
\end{align}

\end{document}

This code will become:

Explanation:

1. \usepackage{amsmath}: The `amsmath` package is required for advanced mathematical typesetting features, including the `align` environment.
2. &: This symbol is used to align equations at the specified point, usually before an operator like `=`.

Tips:

1. You can label equations using the \label{} command and refer to them later with \ref{}.
2. Example:

\begin{equation} \label{eq:quadratic}
x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}
\end{equation}

To refer to this equation later, use Equation \ref{eq:quadratic}.