Introduction to LaTeX

A Mathematical typesetting system

The Required Elements

All LaTeX documents must include the following parts:

\documentclass[12pt]{article}
The PREAMBLE goes here

The very first line!

\begin{document}
The BODY of the document goes here

\end{document}

The very last line!

Environments
LaTeX code is set up with environments. Everything is enclosed in the document environment. \begin{document}

The document environment

\end{document}

Environments
You enter and leave most environments with beginning and ending commands of the form \begin{environmentname}
The code/text goes here

\end{environmentname}

Some Formatting environments

\begin{center} . . . \end{center} Numbered lists \begin{enumerate} \item
The first item in the numbered list goes here

\item
\end{enumerate}

The second item in the numbered list goes here

More on enumeration
If you want sub-headings, nest the lists \begin{enumerate} \item \begin{enumerate} The first item in the sub-list goes here \item The second item in the sub-list goes here \item \end{enumerate} \item \end{enumerate}

More on lists
If you want bulleted lists, you use the same format as for numbered lists with \begin{itemize} \item \begin{itemize} \item \item \end{itemize} \item \end{itemize}

More on lists
If you want to designate the headings for the lists, you use the description environment \begin{description} \item[Case i.]
The text for Case i. goes here

\item[Case ii.]
The text for Case ii. goes here

\end{description}

Typesetting Mathematics
There are two main math environments In-line math mode. This is for equations that occur in the same line as narrative. You enter and leave in-line math mode with dollar signs. Ex: $f(x)=x^{3-x}$ Displayed math. Several entry/exit choices
\begin{displaymath} . . . \end{displaymath} $$ . . . $$ \[ . . . \]

Some Miscellaneous Expressions

Normal text
How many subsets does have?

LaTeX code

How many subsets does $\emptyset$ have?

Notice the use of the backslash ( \ ). This is your message to LaTeX that you are about to give it a command.

Some Miscellaneous Expressions

Normal text
How many subsets does have?

LaTeX code

How many subsets does $\emptyset$ have?

A 1, 2,3, 4

$A= \{ 1,2,3,4 \} $
$A \subseteq B$ and $B \subseteq A$.

A B and B A.
x3 f ( x) 1 x2

$$ f(x)=\frac{x^3}{1+x^2}.$$