How to use Latex for Arithmetic operations

In this post, we’ll see how to use Latex to express Arithmetic operations.

A few points to remember:

– Inline formulas open and close with $ or open with \ ( and close with \ ).
– Displayed math environments open with \ [ and close with \ ].
– A math symbol is invoked by a command. For example, the command for ∞ is \infty and the command for → is \to.

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Latex for Arithmetic operations

We type the arithmetic operations 𝑎 + 𝑏, 𝑎 − 𝑏, −𝑎, 𝑎∕𝑏, and 𝑎𝑏 in the natural way: $a + b$, $a – b$, $-a$, $a / b$, and $a b$ (the spaces are typed only for readability).

Related study: Display Roots with Latex

Latex for multiplication operation

If you wish to use ⋅ or × for multiplication, as in 𝑎⋅𝑏 or 𝑎×𝑏, use \cdot or \times, respectively.
The formulas 𝑎⋅𝑏 and 𝑎×𝑏 are typed as $a \cdot b$ and $a \times b$.

Latex for division

There is one form for division. 𝑎 ÷ 𝑏 is typed as follows: $a \div b$

Latex to display fraction using frac

Let’s see how to handle Displayed fractions, such as the following:

The fraction given is typed with \frac in the following way:
\ [
\frac{1 + 2x}{x + y + xy}
\ ]

Here, \frac is the command, 1 + 2x and x + y + xy are the arguments.

Displaying fraction using dfrac & tfrac

You can use display-style fractions inline with \dfrac, and inline-style fractions in displayed math environments with \tfrac; for example, let’s take a fraction (3 + a² ) / (4 + b).

When this fraction needs to be shown with inline-style then it is to be typed as the following:

$\dfrac{3 + a^{2}}{4 + b}$

And, when fraction needs to be displayed in math environments then it’s to be typed as:

[
\tfrac{3 + a^{2}}{4 + b}
]

Subscripts and superscripts

Subscripts are typed with _ and superscripts with ˆ (caret).

Subscripts and superscripts should be enclosed in braces, that is, typed between { and }.

To get 𝑎₁, type $a_{1}$.

Omitting the braces in the above example causes no harm, but to get 𝑎₁₀, you must type $a_{10}$. Indeed, $a_10$ is typeset as 𝑎₁0.

Note: There is one symbol, the prime (’), that is automatically superscripted in a formula.
To get 𝑓′(𝑥), just type $f’(x)$.

One more example set with different types of subscripts and superscripts:

\ [
a_{1},\ a_{i_{1}},\ a^{2},\ a^{b^{c}},\ a^{i_{1}},\
a_{i} + 1,\ a_{i + 1},\ a_{1}^{2},\ a^{2}_{1}
\ ]

The above set typesets as