Latex Execution on this Site: No Bold Fonts?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the execution of LaTeX on a specific website, particularly focusing on the challenges of rendering bold Greek letters and other symbols. Participants explore various methods and packages to achieve bold formatting in mathematical expressions.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes that the command \mathbf{\mu} does not render bold on their computer when compiled with TeXnic center without MikTex.
  • Another participant suggests that LaTeX has difficulty making Greek letters bold and proposes a workaround using \mbox{\boldmath${\pi}$} in a math environment.
  • Multiple participants mention using \mathbf in math mode, but note that it does not render italics, which may not be desirable.
  • Some participants discuss the AMS math package, indicating that \boldsymbol can produce bold italics for Greek letters.
  • One participant mentions using macros for matrices and vectors that incorporate \boldsymbol for convenience.
  • A suggestion is made to use the package bm, with examples provided for bold Greek letters using {\bm \alpha}, {\bm \beta}, etc.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing experiences with the effectiveness of various LaTeX commands and packages for achieving bold formatting, indicating that no consensus exists on a single solution that works universally.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include potential dependencies on specific LaTeX packages and environments, as well as variations in rendering across different systems and setups.

ehrenfest
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\mathbf{\mu}

What is used to execute latex on this website? When I type that into TeXnic center and compile it without MikTex, it is not bold on my computer.
 
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For some reason, latex doesn't really like making greek letters bold. A workaround I found (which is a little annoying, but at least it works) is to use something like \mbox{\boldmath${\pi}$} if in a math environment.

I don't know what is used on the website.
 
Use \mathbf in math mode.

\mu versus \mathbf\mu \mu\;\mathbf\muOne drawback of mathbf: Its not in italics.

a versus \mathbf a a\;\mathbf aIf you have the AMS math package (\usepackage{amssymb,amsmath}), \boldsymbol puts things in bold italics.

\mu versus \mathbf\mu versus \boldsymbol\mu \mu\;\mathbf\mu\;\boldsymbol\mu
a versus \mathbf a versus \boldsymbol a a\;\mathbf a\;\boldsymbol a
 
Last edited:
D H said:
Use \mathbf in math mode.

\mu versus \mathbf\mu \mu\;\mathbf\mu
Whilst that seems to work on the forum, it doesn't work for me (or, it seems, for the OP) hence why I had to find a workaround. The method you list below works fine!

If you have the AMS math package (\usepackage{amssymb,amsmath}), \boldsymbol puts things in bold italics.

\mu versus \mathbf\mu versus \boldsymbol\mu \mu\;\mathbf\mu\;\boldsymbol\mu
a versus \mathbf a versus \boldsymbol a a\;\boldsymbol a\;\boldsymbol a
 
I generally use \boldsymbol. Hmm, actually, I don't, at least not directly. I generally use macros for matrices and vectors, and those in turn use \boldsymbol. That way if someone tells me to use arrows for vectors I just have to change my vector macro.
 
you have to use the package{bm}. Then inside math environment type Greek letters as {\bm \alpha}, {\bm \beta}, etc...

usepackege{bm}

then,

$ {\bm beta} = {\bm \ alpha} {\bf \gamma} $
 
thanks...DH post was very useful!
 

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