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| − | '''LaTeX''' is a [[computer language|computer typesetting language]] for [[mathematical]] [[markup]]. It was designed and developed by Leslie Lamport<ref>Gratzer, G. ''First Steps in LaTeX''. Birkhauser, Boston; p. xiv (1999) [http://books.google.com/books?id=mLdg5ZdDKToC&lpg=PP1&pg=PR14#v=onepage&q&f=false]</ref> as an extension of TeX, an existing typesetting language developed by [[Donald Knuth]]. LaTeX is used nearly universally by [[mathematician]]s, [[physicist]]s, [[engineer]]s, [[computer scientist]]s and other scientists in need of technical [[formatting]] in their publications. | + | '''LaTeX''' is a [[computer language|computer typesetting language]] for [[mathematical]] [[markup]]. It was designed and developed by Leslie Lamport<ref>Gratzer, G. ''First Steps in LaTeX''. Birkhauser, Boston; p. xiv (1999) [https://books.google.com/books?id=mLdg5ZdDKToC&lpg=PP1&pg=PR14#v=onepage&q&f=false]</ref> as an extension of TeX, an existing typesetting language developed by [[Donald Knuth]]. LaTeX is used nearly universally by [[mathematician]]s, [[physicist]]s, [[engineer]]s, [[computer scientist]]s and other scientists in need of technical formatting in their publications. |
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| | + | ==Examples== |
| | + | \documentclass[12pt]{article} %Specifies the font size and the document style |
| | + | \begin{document} %Begins the document |
| | + | $$\sqrt{\frac{1}{4}} = \frac{1}{2}$$ %Dollar sign ($) delimits math expressions; $$ delimits math expressions displayed centered on their own line |
| | + | \end{document} %Document closing tag |
| | + | |
| | + | This LaTeX code would output: |
| | + | |
| | + | <center><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4}} = \frac{1}{2}</math></center> |
| | + | |
| | + | Highly complex mathematical expressions are also possible; for example, the following code:<ref>[https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Displaying_a_formula Mediawiki Help:Displaying a Formula]</ref> |
| | + | \operatorname{erfc}(x) = |
| | + | \frac{2}{\sqrt{\pi}} \int_x^{\infty} e^{-t^2}\,dt = |
| | + | \frac{e^{-x^2}}{x\sqrt{\pi}}\sum_{n=0}^\infty (-1)^n \frac{(2n)!}{n!(2x)^{2n}} |
| | + | |
| | + | would output: |
| | + | |
| | + | <math> |
| | + | \operatorname{erfc}(x) = |
| | + | \frac{2}{\sqrt{\pi}} \int_x^{\infty} e^{-t^2}\,dt = |
| | + | \frac{e^{-x^2}}{x\sqrt{\pi}}\sum_{n=0}^\infty (-1)^n \frac{(2n)!}{n!(2x)^{2n}} |
| | + | </math> |
| | + | |
| | + | The style declaration, beginning and closing end tags are omitted for brevity. |
| | | | |
| | ==References== | | ==References== |
| | <references/> | | <references/> |
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| − | ==External Links== | + | ==External links== |
| − | * LaTeX – A document preparation system' [http://www.latex-project.org/] | + | * [http://www.latex-project.org/ LaTeX – A document preparation system] |
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| | [[Category:Programming Languages]] | | [[Category:Programming Languages]] |
| | [[Category:Mathematics]] | | [[Category:Mathematics]] |