Deering High Mathematics - Learning Latex for Google Docs

INTRODUCTION TO LATEX FOR CREATING MATH SYMBOLS IN GOOGLE DOCS, GEOGEBRA AND MOODLE

This page introduces you to various useful commands for rendering math symbolism using LaTeX markup language. You can use LaTex commands to build math symbolism written in "pretty formatting" or images that can be placed in Google Docs, GeoGebra and Moodle. Please note that Google Docs does have a nice little equation editor though not as extensive as a Latex Editor but perfectly capable of satisfying the needs of most high school math students.

Why I consider the learning of Latex especially valuable is that one can build sophisticated commands to output "pretty" variable data in Moodle and in GeoGebra .

Comment 1: Remember if you use LaTex commands in Moodle don't forget the double dollar signs to the left and right of the LaTex notation.
e.g. $$ 7^2 $$ will produce 2⁷.

Comment 2: I also have DragMath installed at Deeringmath.com here. Please give the editor a moment to load in your browser. Java must be installed on your computer in order to work with Drag Math. Download Java here if it is not already installed on your computer.

VIDEOS COMING SOON

TOPICS

Exponents and subscripts
Fractions
Radicals
Sums, products, limits and logarithms
Combinations
Trigonometric functions
Calculus
Other functions
Text styles and math mode

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LATEX COMMANDS FOR EXPONENTS AND SUBSCRIPTS
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Make exponents in LaTeX with ^ and subscripts with _ as shown in the examples below.

Symbol	Latex Command	Symbol	Latex Command
	2^2		a_i
$2^{23}$	2^{23}	$n_{i-1}$	n_{i-1}
$a^{i+1}_3$	a^{i+1}_3	$x^{3^2}$	x^{3^2}
$2^{a_i}$	2^{a_i}		2^a_i

CLICK HERE FOR POPUP LATEX EDITOR AND TEST THE LATEX COMMAND ABOVE

Notice that you can apply both a subscript and an exponent at the same time, and that you can use {} to tell LaTeX what to apply a subscript or exponent to (compare the examples on the bottom row).

Finally, notice that you use {} for any exponent or subscript that is more than one character. You have to do so, or you'll end up with

	or
when you really want
$2^{234}$	or	$a^{i+1}_{n-1}$

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LATEX COMMANDS FOR FRACTIONS
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Symbol	Latex Command
	\frac{1}{2}
	\frac{2}{x+2}
$advfracr$	\frac{1+\frac{1}{x}}{3x + 2}

CLICK HERE FOR POPUP LATEX EDITOR AND TEST THE LATEX COMMAND ABOVE

Most fractions look better in \displaystyle. Note the d in front of frac.

Symbol	Latex Command
$\dfrac{1}{2}$	\dfrac{1}{2}
$\dfrac{2}{x+2}$	\dfrac{2}{x+2}
$\dfrac{1+\frac{1}{x}}{3x + 2}$	\dfrac{1+\frac{1}{x}}{3x + 2}

CLICK HERE FOR POPUP LATEX EDITOR AND TEST THE LATEX COMMAND ABOVE

Use \cfrac for continued fractions:

Symbol	Latex Command
$\cfrac{2}{1+\cfrac{2}{1+\cfrac{2}{1+\cfrac{2}{1}}}}$	\cfrac{2}{1+\cfrac{2}{1+\cfrac{2}{1+\cfrac{2}{1}}}}

CLICK HERE FOR POPUP LATEX EDITOR AND TEST THE LATEX COMMAND ABOVE

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LATEX COMMANDS FOR RADICALS
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Symbol	Latex Command
$\sqrt{2}$	\sqrt{2}
$\sqrt{x+y}$	\sqrt{x+y}
$\sqrt{x+\frac{1}{2}$	\sqrt{x+\frac{1}{2}
$\sqrt[3]{3}$	\sqrt[3]{3}
$\sqrt[n]{x}$	\sqrt[n]{x}

CLICK HERE FOR POPUP LATEX EDITOR AND TEST THE LATEX COMMAND ABOVE

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LATEX COMMANDS FOR SUMS, LIMITS,
AND LOGARITHMS
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Use _ to get the 'bottom' parts of summations, products, and limits, as well as the subscripts of logarithms. Use ^ to get the 'top' parts of sums and products.

Symbol	Latex Command
	\sum_{i=1}^{\infty}\frac{1}{i}
	\lim_{x\to\infty}\frac{1}{x}
	\log_n n^2

CLICK HERE FOR POPUP LATEX EDITOR AND TEST THE LATEX COMMAND ABOVE

Note that you can use sums, products, and logarithms without _ or ^ modifiers.

Symbol	Latex Command
$\displaystyle\sum\frac{1}{i}$	\displaystyle\sum\frac{1}{i}
$\displaystyle\frac{n}{n-1}$	\displaystyle\frac{n}{n-1}
$\log n^2$	\log n^2
$\ln e$	\ln e

CLICK HERE FOR POPUP LATEX EDITOR AND TEST THE LATEX COMMAND ABOVE

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LATEX COMMANDS FOR COMBINATIONS
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Symbol	Command to copy and paste into latex editor
	\binom{9}{3}
	\binom{n-1}{r-1}

CLICK HERE FOR POPUP LATEX EDITOR AND TEST THE COMMAND ABOVE

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LATEX COMMANDS AND TRIG FUNCTIONS
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Symbol	Latex Command	Symbol	Latex Command	Symbol	Latex Command
$\cos$	\cos	$\sin$	\sin	$\tan$	\tan
$\sec$	\sec	$\csc$	\csc	$\cot$	\cot
$\arccos$	\arccos	$\arcsin$	\arcsin	$\arctan$	\arctan
$\cosh$	\cosh	$\sinh$	\sinh	$\tanh$	\tanh
$\coth$	\coth

CLICK HERE FOR POPUP LATEX EDITOR AND TEST THE LATEX COMMAND ABOVE

Here are a couple of examples:

Symbol	Command
$\cos^2 x +\sin^2 x = 1$	\cos^2 x +\sin^2 x = 1
$\cos 90^\circ = 0$	\cos 90^\circ = 0

CLICK HERE FOR POPUP LATEX EDITOR AND TEST THE LATEX COMMAND ABOVE

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LATEX COMMANDS AND CALCULUS
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Below are examples of calculus rendered in LaTeX. Most of these commands have been introduced before. Notice how definite integrals are rendered (and the difference between regular math and display mode for definite integrals). The \, in the integrals makes a small space before the dx.

Symbol	Latex Command
	\frac{d}{dx}\left(x^2\right) = 2x
	\int 2x\,dx = x^2+C
	\int^5_1 2x\,dx = 24
$\displaystyle\int^5_1 2x\,dx = 24$	\displaystyle\int^5_1 2x\,dx = 24

CLICK HERE FOR POPUP LATEX EDITOR AND TEST THE LATEX COMMAND ABOVE

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LATEX COMMANDS AND OTHER FUNCTIONS
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Symbol	Latex Command	Symbol	Latex Command	Symbol	Latex Command
$\arg$	\arg	$\deg$	\deg	$\det$	\det
$\dim$	\dim	$\exp$	\exp	$\gcd$	\gcd
$\hom$	\hom	$\inf$	\inf	$\ker$	\ker
$\lg$	\lg	$\liminf$	\liminf	$\limsup$	\limsup
$\max$	\max	$\min$	\min	$\Pr$	\Pr
$\sup$	\sup

CLICK HERE FOR POPUP LATEX EDITOR AND TEST THE COMMAND ABOVE

Some of these functions take 'bottom' parts just like sums and limits. Some render differently in display mode and regular math mode.

Symbol	Latex Command	Symbol	Latex Command	Symbol	Latex Command
$\dim_x$	\dim_x	$\gcd_x$	\gcd_x	$\inf_x$	\inf_x
$\liminf_x$	\liminf_x	$\limsup_x$	\limsup_x	$\max_x$	\max_x
$\min_x$	\min_x	$\Pr_x$	\Pr_x	$\sup_x$	\sup_x

CLICK HERE FOR POPUP LATEX EDITOR AND TEST THE LATEX COMMAND ABOVE

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LATEX COMMANDS AND TEXT STYLES IN MATH MODE
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You can render letters in various styles in math mode. Below are examples; you should be able to use these with any letters.

Symbol	Latex Command	Symbol	Latex Command	Symbol	Latex Command
$\mathbb{R}$	\mathbb{R}	$\mathbf{R}$	\mathbf{R}	$\mathcal{R}$	\mathcal{R}
$\mathbb{Z}$	\mathbb{Z}	$\mathbf{Z}$	\mathbf{Z}	$\mathcal{Z}$	\mathcal{Z}
$\mathbb{Q}$	\mathbb{Q}	$\mathbf{Q}$	\mathbf{Q}	$\mathcal{Q}$	\mathcal{Q}

CLICK HERE FOR POPUP LATEX EDITOR AND TEST THE LATEX COMMAND ABOVE

$n^2 + 5 = 30\text{ so we have }n=\pm5$

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