Latex FAQ

This page contains some frequently asked questions about using LaTeX. If you have any questions that are not answered here, please feel free to reach out to us. If you have any suggestions for improving this page, please let us know.

Math Mode

How do I insert an equation?

To insert an equation, you can use the equation environment.

\begin{equation}
    E = mc^2
\end{equation}

This will create a numbered equation. If you don’t want the equation to be numbered, you can use the equation* environment instead.

\begin{equation*}
    E = mc^2
\end{equation*}

You can also use the align environment to align multiple equations.

\begin{align}
    E &= mc^2 \\
    F &= ma
\end{align}

This will create a set of aligned equations, with the & symbol indicating where to align the equations. You can also use the align* environment to create unnumbered aligned equations.

\begin{align*}
    E &= mc^2 \\
    F &= ma 
\end{align*}

How do I insert a matrix?

To insert a matrix, you can use the matrix environment.

\begin{matrix}
    1 & 2 & 3 \\
    4 & 5 & 6 \\
    7 & 8 & 9
\end{matrix}

This will create a matrix with no brackets. If you want to add brackets, you can use the pmatrix environment for parentheses or the bmatrix environment for square brackets.

\begin{pmatrix}
    1 & 2 & 3 \\
    4 & 5 & 6 \\
    7 & 8 & 9
\end{pmatrix}

\begin{bmatrix}
    1 & 2 & 3 \\
    4 & 5 & 6 \\
    7 & 8 & 9
\end{bmatrix}

You can also use the vmatrix environment for vertical bars or the Vmatrix environment for double vertical bars.

\begin{vmatrix}
    1 & 2 & 3 \\
    4 & 5 & 6 \\
    7 & 8 & 9
\end{vmatrix}

\begin{Vmatrix}
    1 & 2 & 3 \\
    4 & 5 & 6 \\
    7 & 8 & 9
\end{Vmatrix}

How do I reduce too much space between equations?

To reduce the space between equations, check if there are any \\ commands that are not needed. If you are using the align environment, you can also use the \vspace command to add or remove space between equations.

\begin{align}
    E &= mc^2 \\
    \vspace{-0.5cm} % reduce space
    F &= ma
\end{align}