# LaTeX, CPSC 418 / MATH 318, Winter 2020

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LaTeX is a powerful typesetting program that is particularly suited for typesetting mathematical symbols. Most research papers and textbooks in Mathematics and many in Computer Science are written using LaTeX, as are all the materials used in this course. You are required to use LaTeX to generate your assignment solutions.

 LaTeX Resources

You can obtain your own LaTeX distribution free of charge, or work with LaTeX online. Here are a couple of useful links:

• Texblog - a comprehensive list of links to free LaTeX distributions, editors, web and PDF resources etc
• Andy Roberts' tutorials. Tutorials 1, 2, 9, 10, and the beginning of 11 (how to create PDF files) are crucial. You can likely get by without 4, 5, 6, 7 unless you want to do tables and figures, import images or use footnotes. 3, 8 and 12 can probably safely be ignored.

It can be frustrating to start creating a new LaTeX document from scratch, so a practice document is provided below. Additionally, templates that you can use for writing your homework solutions will be provided for each assignment.

It also helps a lot to heed the basic LaTeX tips below.

This detexify website allows you to draw a symbol and get its LaTeX code.

 Basic Tips

• Short mathematical expressions can be written inline in ath mode, i.e. insode $...$ or $( ... )$.
• Long expressions should be centered on a new line using display math, i.e. inside $...$.
• Multiline expressions should be split up into several lines, preferably with equalities aligned, using the "align" or the "eqnarray" environment.
• Variables within a sentence should be typeset in math mode, i.e. inside $...$ or $( ... )$.
• The "\text" or "\mbox" command can be used in math mode if you want to write words unitalicized and separated by spaces.
• Importantly, don't leave LaTeX'ing your assignments till the last minute. LaTeX is a programming language, so debugging LaTeX soure files - just like debuggging any programming code - takes time.
• Most important of all, proof-read your PDF files before submitting them!