# Formatting guide

This is a guide for those who want to learn use $\LaTeX$ or simple formatting. If you want to contribute on brilliant, then you should use $\LaTeX$ in many cases. This makes your posts more readable.

When you don't know how to write a symbol, then use the Google. I will post there only the important symbols.

There are lots of $\LaTeX$ guides, but I think my guide is the most readale and complete. Let's start the learning.

# 1. What is Latex

$\LaTeX$ is a formatting(or markdown) language to format documents or write formulas. In this web page we can't format documents, therefore lots of commands isn't working.

# 2. Basic formatting

This paragraph will help you to format your posts without $\LaTeX$. This is a markdown language, like HTML.



$\$-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ # 3. Basic latex operators and modificators $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ # 4. Formatting with Latex $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ # 5. Matrices and arrays $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ $\\[-20px]$ # 6. Not math codes # 7. Useful tips # 8. Tasks And the big question: • The big question: How to write $\LaTeX$ • Answer: \LaTeX Here is a cool website, where you can make equations without learning codes. Note by A Former Brilliant Member 7 months, 1 week ago This discussion board is a place to discuss our Daily Challenges and the math and science related to those challenges. Explanations are more than just a solution — they should explain the steps and thinking strategies that you used to obtain the solution. Comments should further the discussion of math and science. When posting on Brilliant: • Use the emojis to react to an explanation, whether you're congratulating a job well done , or just really confused . • Ask specific questions about the challenge or the steps in somebody's explanation. Well-posed questions can add a lot to the discussion, but posting "I don't understand!" doesn't help anyone. • Try to contribute something new to the discussion, whether it is an extension, generalization or other idea related to the challenge. • Stay on topic — we're all here to learn more about math and science, not to hear about your favorite get-rich-quick scheme or current world events. MarkdownAppears as *italics* or _italics_ italics **bold** or __bold__ bold - bulleted- list • bulleted • list 1. numbered2. list 1. numbered 2. list Note: you must add a full line of space before and after lists for them to show up correctly paragraph 1paragraph 2 paragraph 1 paragraph 2 [example link](https://brilliant.org)example link > This is a quote This is a quote  # I indented these lines # 4 spaces, and now they show # up as a code block. print "hello world" # I indented these lines # 4 spaces, and now they show # up as a code block. print "hello world" MathAppears as Remember to wrap math in $$ ... $$ or \[ ... $ to ensure proper formatting.
2 \times 3 $2 \times 3$
2^{34} $2^{34}$
a_{i-1} $a_{i-1}$
\frac{2}{3} $\frac{2}{3}$
\sqrt{2} $\sqrt{2}$
\sum_{i=1}^3 $\sum_{i=1}^3$
\sin \theta $\sin \theta$
\boxed{123} $\boxed{123}$

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What do the measurement abbreviations stand for?

- 3 months, 1 week ago

px = pixel :)

- 3 months, 1 week ago

\(\) - Thnx @Páll Márton (no activity)

- 4 months, 3 weeks ago

is the page itself done in Latex? if so: how do u print a backslash and opening brackets just as text?
like this "$\backslash($" . if i use \backslash it creates a thin backslash: $\backslash$ but how do i write a normal one like this: \

- 4 months, 3 weeks ago

\(\) without spaces \ \ ( \ ) ( \ \ )

- 4 months, 3 weeks ago

ty again. is there a similar solution for the centering brackets: []?
when i try: \ \ [ \ ] [ \ \ ] without spaces. it creates this: \[\]

- 4 months, 1 week ago

\(\) u are great ty

- 4 months, 3 weeks ago

On a normal QWERTY keyboard, the backslash is usually above the enter key.

- 4 months, 3 weeks ago

;-) ;-) if i write \ in a latex block, then it is not shown because it is a special symbol.
my question is how to show a "normal" backslash like this: \
in a latex block and not a thin one like this: $\backslash$

- 4 months, 3 weeks ago

You can also use \LaTeX{} $\Rightarrow$ $\LaTeX{}$.

- 5 months, 2 weeks ago

but \LaTeX is easier and shorter to type.

- 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Yeah. The \LaTeX{} is one \LaTeX command and an empty block {}

- 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Exactly, which renders {} useless.

- 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Really the best $\LaTeX$ formatting. My saved and bookmarked page for referring $\LaTeX$. :) @Páll Márton

- 6 months, 2 weeks ago

Thank you!

- 6 months, 2 weeks ago

@Brilliant Mathematics There is a problem with this note. I have a document with the code of it. It is working, but there isn't. Can you help me? This is a very common problem. Once at the daily chalanges and once under @Percy Jackson's note. Thank you! P.S.: Who should I mention next time if I have a similar problem?

- 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Thanks. I've fixed it for you by removing the following text.

2.3. Quote}\\[-5px]\hspace{300px}\)]]

Yes, this is a common problem. Our engineers are on it. I will set-up a note to let other users notify me in 10 minutes.

Staff - 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Staff - 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Thank you! Now I can see what is the problem. There was other problems also, like: [[show,-hide-button

- 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Now your Guide is even better @Páll Márton!

- 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Thank you! Your buttons are useful

- 6 months, 3 weeks ago

LOL, this is useful for puns also. Like "Don't push my buttons" or "Stop pushing my Buttons" LOL

- 6 months, 3 weeks ago

@Percy Jackson Should I make the whole note with buttons? I think you can use it easier if you should press only a button to see the content.

- 6 months, 3 weeks ago

- 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Yeah, it would seem easier to just click what you want to read instead of scrolling. Nice job on the buttons, and thanks for the mention! Buttons can only be used in notes and wikis, not even problems so change that last statement a bit @Páll Márton :)

- 6 months, 3 weeks ago

buttons- 2.13 :)

- 6 months, 3 weeks ago

• Make your code readable. If you get an error, then you can edit it quickly.
• Remember to check the spaces after each codes.
• Always check the end of the LATE​X code. If your code doesn't end, your will face many errors.
• Use readable font size, but not too big (\LARGE is usually too big).
• Use the Preview button before you post something, because the LaTeX isn't displayed sometimes. Use an online editor to verify whether your codes work or not.
• If you have written a lot of code, then save it, as the web page doesn't always save your codes.
@Páll Márton - I did some grammatical corrections and stuff in the Useful Tips part :)

- 6 months, 3 weeks ago

 Got it, thanks! 

- 7 months ago

Yeah.

You are welcome!

@Páll Márton - How do you make that box, where latex doesn't work, the one where you write your syntax, and the one where you wrote the latex commands for greeks letters as an example, your guide is very long, so i didn't find it LOL

- 7 months ago

2.7. and 2.8. Code blocks and Formatted box :)

Ctrl+f

Jeff Giff isn't annoying in a He-is-a-idiot kind of way

facepalm isn't funy, its funny :)

The jokes were courtesy of Leo, but they were pretty non-funny, if that's even a word.

Happy 7.27 day!

Before you ask what 7.27 day is its today 7/27/2020, why you may ask, because a super complex number like pi has a day, why not 7.27 :)

- 7 months ago

$\bra{1}$ \bra{1}, for qubits

- 7 months ago

Wait... the mod and bmod. Wrong code.

- 7 months ago

Why? If you write only \mod then it won't work, but ~\mod~$~\mod~$

No, look- $a\equiv b \mod n,a \bmod n, a\pmod n$ , mod, bmod, pmod

- 7 months ago

What is the problem? Your codes are a\equiv b \mod n,a \bmod n, a\pmod n so the codes are good.

Dude, my point is, \mod has a SPACE before it. bmod doesn’t. Check out your guide. Wrong code! :D

- 7 months ago

Yeah. Thank you!

I got it

:)

- 7 months ago

WHA WHAAA WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! How much time do you have? I've got 30 minutes a day to update my guide lol, this one is way better. Awesome @Páll Márton - This deserves to be turned into a Latex wiki, maybe you should ask Brilliant Mathematics, Calvin Lin, or someone else.......................

- 7 months ago

Yeah, I have a lot of time. But I think the wiki page is better. I wanted to make an example, where you should search the error, but this take a lot of time

Yours is better than wiki page, as you have more than what the wiki has, just ask some moderator or something dude, this is good stuff

- 7 months ago

The wiki page is about only $\LaTeX$. There you can see more codes. But you are right, because some codes are missing.

Now this is complete :) Maybe some codes are missing, but I think I finished it

$\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\\[-3.75pt] {\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}\\[-3.75pt] \rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\\[-3.75pt] {\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}\\[-3.75pt] \rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\\[-3.75pt] {\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}\\[-3.75pt] \rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\\[-3.75pt] {\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}{\color{#FFFFFF}\rule{20px}{20px}}\rule{20px}{20px}$

$\rule{100pt}{161.8pt}$
Golden ratio

- 7 months ago

Great! The only one with the cases, which I once spent AN HOUR looking for :P

- 7 months, 1 week ago

Thank you!

- 7 months, 1 week ago

@Jeff Giff Here is a new formatting guide for Radmaths !

- 7 months, 1 week ago

Red Maths LOL :)

- 7 months ago

- 7 months ago

Zakir always calls it RedMaths, maybe he doesn't know the meaning of rad :)

- 7 months ago

I doubt it. What about history?

Doubt what??? and what history???

- 7 months ago

I think he can use the rad word. From there you can understand it

Oh! ok, but he still calls it redmaths, LOL

- 7 months ago

$\color{#D61F06}\text{redmath}$ is rad. BTW this isn't important

- 7 months ago

@Jeff Giff See what will happen if you click to the link to this guide. Delete your link's last section from there: ?from_notification=...

- 7 months, 1 week ago

And thank you!

Excellent LaTeX formatting guide! I am saving this one...

- 7 months, 1 week ago

Huhh! I extended it.

- 7 months, 1 week ago

I hope this is better

- 7 months, 1 week ago

Still excellent!

- 7 months, 1 week ago

Thank you! I'm working on this yet

- 7 months, 1 week ago

Don't worry. I put it in my saved collection!

- 7 months, 1 week ago