WaTeX Notation

The code listed in this table is valid in the <watex> tag. Unless specified otherwise, all of the examples in the following table are shown as they are displayed when using math mode.

Prerequisites: Display Notation with WaTeX

Note As in HTML, successive whitespace characters in WaTeX are ignored. To add multiple spaces, you can use <s:space>.

Expression	Code	Example	Display
Perl variables	`$variable` `${variable}` `<EQN $variable>` Use braces when the Perl variable is followed by other text. Use <EQN> to display the variable in black.	`$a` `${a}x` `<EQN $a>`	35 35`x` 35
Roman text, WebAssign tags, or HTML	`\pre{text}` Not needed unless using math mode. Not needed for answer placeholder string `<_>`.	`2x\pre{ km}`	2`x` km
Answer placeholder strings	`<_>` This cannot be done with <symimage> or LaTeX.	`\frac{6}{8} = \frac{<_>}{4}`
Line breaks	`\\` Use `\\` instead of `<br \>`. Consecutive line breaks are treated as a single line break. To add more vertical spacing, use `\vspace`.	`3x \\ 4y`	3`x` 4`y`
Line breaks with vertical spacing	`\vspace{nem}` `\vspace{npx}` Adds a line break with the specified amount of space between the lines. Do not add a space between the number and the unit. For on-screen display, ems and pixels are preferred units, but you can also use cm, in, mm, pc, or pt.	`3x \vspace{1em} 4y`	3`x` 4`y`
Addition	`+`	`x + 1`	`x` + 1
Subtraction	`-`	`x - 1`	`x` − 1
Multiplication	`*` `\times` `(implicit)`	`x * 2` `x \times 2` `2x`	`x` · 2 `x` × 2 2`x`
Division	`\div`	`x \div 2`	`x` ÷ 2
Fractions	`\frac{num}{den}` You can put a fraction in the numerator or denominator of another fraction.	`\frac{x}{4}`	$image of fraction: x divided by 4$
Binomial	`\left(\over{n}{k}\right)`	`\left(\over{a}{b}\right)`
Combinations, permutations, and isotopes (over/under notation)	`\over{top}{bottom}` This is sometimes used with `<s:space>` in the top or bottom to help vertical alignment.	`\left(\over{52}{5}\right) = 2598960` `P\over{10}{3} = 720` `\over{233}{91}\pre{Pa}`
Exponents (superscripts)	`^ (caret)` If the superscript is more than 1 character, enclose it in braces {}.	`x^2` `x^{12}`	`x`² `x`¹²
Bases (subscripts)	`_ (underscore)` If the subscript is more than 1 character, enclose it in braces {}.	`x_2` `x_{(y + 3)}`	`x`₂ `x`_{(y + 3)}
Parentheses	`(arg)` `\left[size](` `\right[size])` Specify the optional `size` as an integer from 1 through 9.	`(x)` `\left[1]( \frac{x}{3} \right[1])`	(`x`) $image of fraction surrounded by parentheses$
Brackets	`[arg]` `\left[size][` `\right[size]]` Specify the optional `size` as an integer from 1 through 9.	`[x]` `\left[1][ \frac{x}{3} \right[1]]`	[`x`] $image of fraction surrounded by brackets$
Braces	`{arg}` `\left[size]\{` `\right[size]\}` Specify the optional `size` as an integer from 1 through 9.	`{x}` `\left[1]\{ \frac{x}{3} \right[1]\}`	{`x`} $image of fraction surrounded by braces$
Angle brackets	`\left[size]<` `\right[size]>` Specify the optional `size` as an integer from 0 through 9.	`\left<x\right>` `\left[1]< \frac{x}{3} \right[1]>`	$image of fraction surrounded by angle brackets$
Absolute values (vertical bars)	`\|arg\|` `\left[size]\|` `\right[size]\|` Specify the optional `size` as an integer from 1 through 9.	`\|x\|` `\left[1]\| \frac{x}{3} \right[1]\|`	\|`x`\| $image of fraction surrounded by vertical bars$
Magnitude (double vertical bars)	`\lleft[size]\|` `\rright[size]\|` Specify the optional `size` as an integer from 0 through 9.	`\lleft[0]\|\overrightarrow{v }\rright[0]\|`
Greatest integer function (double brackets)	`\lleft[size][` `\rright[size]]` Specify the optional `size` as an integer from 1 through 9.	`\lleft[x\rright]`
Square root	`\sqrt{arg}` `\sqrt{size}{arg}` Specify the optional `size` in positive integers; the height is approximately `size` lines.	`\sqrt{16}` `\sqrt{3}{\frac{1}{2}}`
`N`th root	`\sqrt[n]{arg}` `\sqrt{size}[n]{arg}` Specify the optional `size` in positive integers; the height is approximately `size` lines.	`\sqrt[3]{27x}` `\sqrt{3}[4]{\frac{x}{81}}`
Factorial	`!`	`5!`	5!
Trigonometry	`\sin \cos \tan` `\arcsin \arccos \arctan` `\isin \icos \itan` `\sinh \cosh \tanh` `\arcsinh \arccosh \arctanh` `\isinh \icosh \itanh` `\sec \csc \cot` `\arcsec \arccsc \arccot` `\isec \icsc \icot` `\sech \csch \coth` `\arcsech \arccsch \arccoth` `\isech \icsch \icoth` \arccos, \arcsin, and so on can be abbreviated like \acos or \asin, but the longer version of the function name is displayed.	`\asin x` `\cos <s:theta>` `\csch a` `\tan(45<s:degree>)` `\icoth(x)`	arcsin `x` cos `θ` csch `a` tan(45°) coth^-1(`x`)
Exponential function	`e^n`	`e^2`	`e`²
Logarithms	`\ln(n)` `\log(n)` `\log_b(n)`	`\ln(e^x) = x` `\log(1000) = 3` `\log_2(128) = 7`	ln(e`x`) = `x` log(1000) = 3 log₂(128) = 7
Equality	`=`	`a = 2<s:pi>r`	`a` = 2π`r`
Inequality	`>` `<` `\geq` `\leq` `\neq` `<s:notgreater>` `<s:notless>`	`x > 3` `x < 3` `x \geq 3` `x \leq 3` `x \neq 3` `x <s:notgreater> 3` `x <s:notless> 3`	`x` > 3 `x` < 3 `x` ≥ 3 `x` ≤ 3 `x` ≠ 3 `x` 3 `x` 3
Approximate	`\approx`	`x \approx 3`	`x` ≈ 3
Plus or minus	`\pm`	`x \pm 3`	`x` ± 3
Minus or plus	`\mp`	`x \mp 3`	x 3
Infinity	`\infty`	`\infty`	∞
Greek	`<s:letter_name>`	`<s:pi>`	π
Capital Greek	`<s:Letter_name>`	`<s:Omega>`	Ω
Arrays	`\begin{array}{alignment}` `cell & cell \\` `cell & cell` `\end{array}` For more information, see Create WaTeX Arrays and Matrices.	`\begin{array}{rl}` `y = & <s:space>3x + 10 \\` `2y = & <s:space>4x - 5` `\end{array}`
Matrices	`\begin{matrix}{alignment}` `cell & cell \\` `cell & cell` `\end{matrix}` For more information, see Create WaTeX Arrays and Matrices.	`A = \begin{matrix}{c}{2}` `x & y & z\\` `a & b & c` `\end{matrix}`
Determinants	For more information, see Create WaTeX Arrays and Matrices.	`\pre{det}(A) = \|A\|` `\left\|\begin{array}{c}` `a & b \\ c & d` `\end{array}\right\| = ad - bc`	det(`A`) = \|`A`\|
Ellipses	`\ddots` `\cdots` `\vdots` `\iddots` `\ldots`	`\ddots` `\cdots` `\vdots` `\iddots` `\ldots`
Overline	`\overline{}`	`0.\overline{3}`	0.3
Indefinite summation	`\sum{arg}`	`\sum{x_i}`
Definite summation	`\sum_{lower}^{upper}{arg}`	`\sum_{i = 0}^{n}{x_i}`
Indefinite integrals	`\int{arg}`	`\int{f(x)dx}`
Definite integrals	`\int_{lower}^{upper}{arg}`	`\int_{0}^{1}{\sqrt{x}dx}`
Limits	`\lim_{lower}{arg}` `\lim{}_{lower}`	`\lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}{x _n}` `\lim{}_{n\rightarrow\infty} x_n`
Right arrows	`\rightarrow` `\Longrightarrow`	`\rightarrow` `\Longrightarrow`	→
Arrows over notation	`\overleftarrow{arg}` `\overrightarrow{arg}` `\overleftrightarrow{arg}`	`\overleftarrow{AB}` `\overrightarrow{AB}` `\overleftrightarrow{AB}`
Harpoons over notation	`\overleftharpoon{arg}` `\overrightharpoon{arg}` `\overleftrightharpoon{arg}`	`\overleftharpoon{AB}` `\overrightharpoon{AB}` `\overleftrightharpoon{AB}`
Middle dot	`\cdot`	`\cdot`	·
Circle	`\circ`	`\circ`
Non-breaking text	`\nobr{}`	`\nobr{1.2 \times 10^2}`	1.2 × 10²
Italics	`\it{}` Not needed in math mode.	`text \it{italicized} text`	text `italicized` text
Boldface	`\bf{}`	`\bf{boldface}`	boldface
Strikeout	`\sout{}`	`\sout{strikeout}`	strikeout
Underline	`\uline{}`	`\uline{underlined}`	underlined