What do you use to write formulas here in Physics Forum?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the tools and methods used for writing mathematical formulas on Physics Forums, specifically focusing on LaTeX and its current alternatives. Participants share their experiences and preferences regarding formula writing, including the use of shortcuts and other software tools.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants confirm that LaTeX is still in use, while others mention that the forum utilizes MathJax, which has differences from traditional LaTeX.
  • One participant notes that MathJax does not support all LaTeX libraries and uses different tags for inline LaTeX.
  • Another participant shares their method of using AutoHotKey to create shortcuts for LaTeX commands, enhancing their efficiency in writing formulas.
  • Some participants express a desire to use LaTeX more frequently, particularly in specific contexts like Insights articles.
  • There is mention of using language models to convert text equations to LaTeX, indicating a potential modern approach to formula writing.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that LaTeX is still relevant, but there are multiple views on its usage and the effectiveness of alternatives like MathJax. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best practices for writing formulas.

Contextual Notes

Some limitations include the differences in capabilities between LaTeX and MathJax, as well as the varying preferences for tools among participants. There is also a lack of consensus on the best method for writing formulas.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for forum members interested in mathematical writing tools, educators looking to guide students, and those exploring efficient methods for formula input in online platforms.

yungman
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I was here over 10yrs ago, at the time, I use LaTex. You still using that today or there's something new?

I am encouraging my grand daughter to come to this forum as she's going to college soon. I don't want to tell her to learn the wrong thing as it's been over 10yrs already.

Thanks

Alan
 
Physics news on Phys.org
LaTeX.
The "LaTeX Guide" is still in the bottom left corner of the reply window.
 
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It is actually MathJax and has some differences from ordinary LaTeX. E.g. we do not have all libraries, hence not all possible symbols, and we cannot add them, and the main difference is that we use ## as inline LaTeX tags instead of $. LaTeX is basically a compiler, and the web-communication needs an interpreter.
 
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I tend not to use LaTex, but I really should,

Thanks
Bill
 
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bhobba said:
I tend not to use LaTex, but I really should,

Thanks
Bill
I use AutoHotKey and laid a few dozen shortcuts on my keyboard. No accidental Shift Lock anymore, no accidental turning Num Lock off, and yes, many shortcuts for LaTeX. \left. \dfrac{d}{d}\right|_{} or \begin{pmatrix}\end{pmatrix} or \begin{align*}

\end{align*}
are available by Alt+u, Alt+m, and Alt+i. \langle \rangle is Ctrl+y. Just make sure not to overwrite the usual necessities like Ctrl+c or Ctrl+a. I can write Latex almost as fast as ordinary text with my little helpers.
 
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LLMs can easily convert text equations to latex, for example with Bard:
1697554362273.png

or:
$$\begin{align*}\frac{\partial \rho}{\partial t} + \nabla \cdot (\rho \mathbf{u}) &= 0, \\\rho \frac{\partial \mathbf{u}}{\partial t} + \rho (\mathbf{u} \cdot \nabla) \mathbf{u} &= -\nabla p + \nabla \cdot \mathbf{T} + \rho \mathbf{g},\end{align*}$$
 
bhobba said:
I tend not to use LaTex, but I really should,
Yes, and especially so in Insights articles.
 
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