LaTeX

Thinking Machines

Author

Prof. Calvin

Why LaTeX?

What is LaTeX?

A document preparation system that produces high-quality typesetting.
Ideal for complex documents, especially in scientific and academic fields.
Provides precise control over layout, formatting, and mathematical expressions.

Different Flavors of LaTeX

LaTeX is built on TeX, a typesetting engine.
Distributions like TeX Live (for Linux/Unix/Windows) and MiKTeX (for Windows) bundle everything you need.
Online editors like Overleaf simplify collaboration and compilation.

Where is LaTeX Used?

Primarily in academia for theses, dissertations, journal articles, and presentations.
Widely adopted in mathematics, physics, computer science, and engineering.
Excellent for consistent, professional-looking documents.

Conceptualizing

Imagine writing a research paper about a statistical model:
- You’d want to include complex equations, figures, and tables.
- You’d need precise control over citations and bibliographies.
- LaTeX handles these intricate elements beautifully.

Problem Solving

LaTeX:
- Separates content from formatting, allowing you to focus on writing.
- Automates cross-referencing, numbering, and table of contents generation.
- Produces consistent, high-quality output every time.
Can be:
- Written in any text editor.
- Authored in a dedicated LaTeX editor with live preview.

Stepping Back

For professional, polished documents, especially with a lot of math or figures, LaTeX is the gold standard.
While Markdown is great for quick documentation, LaTeX offers unparalleled power and flexibility for formal publications.

We will

Introduce basic LaTeX syntax:
- Structure documents
- Style text and equations
- Include figures and tables
Use LaTeX to:
- Create a simple academic document

Publishing

LaTeX files usually end with a .tex extension.
Compiling a .tex file generates a PDF document.
It’s a powerful tool for creating professional, structured documents.

Essentials

A note

These slides are written in Markdown, but we’ll show LaTeX source on the left and a conceptual rendering on the right.
You can try compiling LaTeX online at sites like Overleaf.

Getting stated

\begin{document} and `\end{document}```- These commands mark the beginning and end of your document’s content.
Everything you want to appear in your final PDF goes between these two commands.
Anything before \begin{document} is called the preamble, where you set up document-wide settings.

\documentclass{article}

\begin{document}
Hello, LaTeX world!
\end{document}

\[ \text{Hello, LaTeX world!} \]

Titles, Authors, and Dates

You can easily add a title, author, and date to your document.
Use \maketitle in the document environment to display this information.
No graceful way to display this…

\documentclass{article}
\title{My Awesome Document}
\author{Your Name}
\date{June 2025}

\begin{document}
\maketitle
\end{document}

Packages

Packages extend LaTeX’s functionality, allowing you to do more complex things.
You declare packages in the preamble using \usepackage{packagename}.
For example, graphicx lets you include images, and amsmath provides advanced math features.
No graceful way to display this…

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{graphicx} % For images

\begin{document}
We could include an image like so.

\includegraphics{julia.png}
\end{document}

Text

Bold

Use \textbf{} or {\bfseries} to make text bold.

We can make text \textbf{bold}.

$\text{We can make text \textbf{bold}.}$

Italic

Use \textit{} or {\itshape} to italicize text.

We can make text \textit{italic}.

$\text{We can make text \textit{italic}.}$

Underline

Use \underline{} to underline text.

We can \underline{underline} text.

$\text{We can } \underline{\text{underline}} \text{ text.}$

Sub/Superscript

In scientific publication, we often require subscripts and superscripts.
We enter “math mode” with $ and use ^ or _
To style text normally in math mode, use \text{}

Squaring $x$ as $x^2$

Denoting a Helium-3 isotope as $\text{He}_3$

$\text{Squaring } x \text{ as } x^2$

$\text{Denoting a Helium-3 isotope as He}_3$

Special Characters

Many characters have special meaning in LaTeX and need to be escaped.
% for comments and & for table alignment.

The percent sign is \%.
An ampersand is \&.

$\text{The percent sign is \%.}$ $\text{An ampersand is \&.}$

Equations

Inline Math

Use $ delimiters for inline mathematical expressions.

$E=mc^2$

$E=mc^2$

Displayed Math

Use $$ delimiters or \[ \] for standalone, centered equations.

$$
E=mc^2
$$

\[ \sum_{i=1}^n x_i \]

\[E=mc^2 \]

\[ \sum_{i=1}^n x_i \]

Numbered Equations

Use the equation environment to automatically number equations.
(Doesn’t work on these slides!)

\begin{equation}
    a^2 + b^2 = c^2
\end{equation}

\[\begin{equation} a^2 + b^2 = c^2 \end{equation}\]

Multiple Equations

Use the align environment for multiple aligned equations.
This is where & matters!

\begin{align}
    2x + 3y &= 7 \\
    x - y &= 1
\end{align}

\[\begin{align} 2x + 3y &= 7 \\ x - y &= 1 \end{align}\]

Lists

Unordered Lists

Use the itemize environment for bulleted lists.

\begin{itemize}
    \item First item.
    \item Second item.
\end{itemize}

Ordered Lists

Use the enumerate environment for numbered lists.

\begin{enumerate}
    \item Step one.
    \item Step two.
\end{enumerate}

Nested Lists

Lists can be nested by placing one list environment inside another.

\begin{itemize}
    \item Main point.
    \begin{enumerate}
        \item Sub-point A.
        \item Sub-point B.
    \end{enumerate}
\end{itemize}

Sections

Document Structure

LaTeX uses commands like \section, \subsection, etc., to structure your document.
These are the same intent as # and ##.

\section{Introduction}
\subsection{Background}

Automatic Numbering

Sections, figures, and tables are automatically numbered.

\section{Results}
See Section~\ref{sec:methods} for details.
\section{Methods} \label{sec:methods}

Tables

Basic Tables

Use the tabular environment to create tables.
| creates vertical lines, h for horizontal lines, l, c, r for column alignment.

\begin{tabular}{|l|c|r|}
\hline
Left & Center & Right \\
\hline
Data 1 & 2.5 & 100 \\
Data 2 & 3.0 & 200 \\
\hline
\end{tabular}

Table Caption

Use the table environment with \caption to add a caption and label.

\begin{table}[h!]
\centering
\caption{A simple table}
\label{tab:simple}
\begin{tabular}{|l|l|}
\hline
Header A & Header B \\
\hline
Row 1A & Row 1B \\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{table}

Images

Including Images

Use the graphicx package and \includegraphics to add images.

\usepackage{graphicx} % in preamble
\includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{julia.png}

Figure Environment

Use the figure environment with \caption and \label for proper referencing.

\begin{figure}[h!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{julia.png}
\caption{The Julia set.}
\label{fig:julia}
\end{figure}

References

Basic Citations

LaTeX has robust citation management with BibTeX or BibLaTeX.
This is programmable, and can look whoever you like, for example:

...as shown by Smith \cite{smith2020}.

\begin{thebibliography}{9}
\bibitem{smith2020}
J. Smith, \textit{A Great Book}, Publisher, 2020.
\end{thebibliography}

…as shown by Smith [1].

References [1] J. Smith, A Great Book, Publisher, 2020.

Cross-referencing

Refer to figures, tables, and sections using \ref{}.

As seen in Figure~\ref{fig:example} and Table~\ref{tab:simple}.

As seen in Figure 1 and Table 1.

Exercise

Complete the “Learn LaTeX in 30 minutes” tutorial.
Download the PDF.
Add the PDF to your scientific computing repostitory as “30_min.pdf”

--- title: LaTeX code-line-numbers: false --- # Why LaTeX? ## What is LaTeX? - A document preparation system that produces high-quality typesetting. - Ideal for complex documents, especially in scientific and academic fields. - Provides precise control over layout, formatting, and mathematical expressions. ## Different Flavors of LaTeX - LaTeX is built on TeX, a typesetting engine. - Distributions like TeX Live (for Linux/Unix/Windows) and MiKTeX (for Windows) bundle everything you need. - Online editors like Overleaf simplify collaboration and compilation. ## Where is LaTeX Used? - Primarily in academia for theses, dissertations, journal articles, and presentations. - Widely adopted in mathematics, physics, computer science, and engineering. - Excellent for consistent, professional-looking documents. ## Conceptualizing - Imagine writing a research paper about a statistical model: - You'd want to include complex equations, figures, and tables. - You'd need precise control over citations and bibliographies. - LaTeX handles these intricate elements beautifully. ## Problem Solving - LaTeX: - Separates content from formatting, allowing you to focus on writing. - Automates cross-referencing, numbering, and table of contents generation. - Produces consistent, high-quality output every time. - Can be: - Written in any text editor. - Authored in a dedicated LaTeX editor with live preview. ## Stepping Back - For professional, polished documents, especially with a lot of math or figures, LaTeX is the gold standard. - While Markdown is great for quick documentation, LaTeX offers unparalleled power and flexibility for formal publications. ## We will - Introduce basic LaTeX syntax: - Structure documents - Style text and equations - Include figures and tables - Use LaTeX to: - Create a simple academic document ## Publishing - LaTeX files usually end with a `.tex` extension. - Compiling a `.tex` file generates a PDF document. - It's a powerful tool for creating professional, structured documents. # Essentials ## A note - These slides are written in Markdown, but we'll show LaTeX source on the left and a conceptual rendering on the right. - You can try compiling LaTeX online at sites like Overleaf. ## Getting stated - `\begin{document}` and `\end{document}```- These commands mark the **beginning and end of your document's content**. - Everything you want to appear in your final PDF goes between these two commands. - Anything before `\begin{document}` is called the **preamble**, where you set up document-wide settings. :::: {.columns} ::: {.column width="50%"} ```tex \documentclass{article} \begin{document} Hello, LaTeX world! \end{document} ``` ::: ::: {.column width="50%"} $$ \text{Hello, LaTeX world!} $$ ::: :::: ## Titles, Authors, and Dates - You can easily add a **title, author, and date** to your document. - Use `\maketitle` in the `document` environment to display this information. - No graceful way to display this... ```tex \documentclass{article} \title{My Awesome Document} \author{Your Name} \date{June 2025} \begin{document} \maketitle \end{document} ``` ## Packages - **Packages extend LaTeX's functionality**, allowing you to do more complex things. - You declare packages in the **preamble** using `\usepackage{packagename}`. - For example, `graphicx` lets you include images, and `amsmath` provides advanced math features. - No graceful way to display this... ```tex \documentclass{article} \usepackage{graphicx} % For images \begin{document} We could include an image like so. \includegraphics{julia.png} \end{document} ``` # Text ## Bold - Use `\textbf{}` or `{\bfseries}` to make text bold. :::: {.columns} ::: {.column width="50%"} ```tex We can make text \textbf{bold}. ``` ::: ::: {.column width="50%"} $\text{We can make text \textbf{bold}.}$ ::: :::: ## Italic - Use `\textit{}` or `{\itshape}` to italicize text. :::: {.columns} ::: {.column width="50%"} ```tex We can make text \textit{italic}. ``` ::: ::: {.column width="50%"} $\text{We can make text \textit{italic}.}$ ::: :::: ## Underline - Use `\underline{}` to underline text. :::: {.columns} ::: {.column width="50%"} ```tex We can \underline{underline} text. ``` ::: ::: {.column width="50%"} $\text{We can } \underline{\text{underline}} \text{ text.}$ ::: :::: ## Sub/Superscript - In scientific publication, we often require subscripts and superscripts. - We enter "math mode" with `$` and use `^` or `_` - To style text normally in math mode, use `\text{}` :::: {.columns} ::: {.column width="50%"} ```tex Squaring $x$ as $x^2$ Denoting a Helium-3 isotope as $\text{He}_3$ ``` ::: ::: {.column width="50%"} $\text{Squaring } x \text{ as } x^2$ $\text{Denoting a Helium-3 isotope as He}_3$ ::: :::: ## Special Characters - Many characters have special meaning in LaTeX and need to be escaped. - `%` for comments and `&` for table alignment. :::: {.columns} ::: {.column width="50%"} ```tex The percent sign is \%. An ampersand is \&. ``` ::: ::: {.column width="50%"} $\text{The percent sign is \%.}$ $\text{An ampersand is \&.}$ ::: :::: --- # Equations ## Inline Math - Use `$` delimiters for inline mathematical expressions. :::: {.columns} ::: {.column width="50%"} ```tex $E=mc^2$ ``` ::: ::: {.column width="50%"} $E=mc^2$ ::: :::: ## Displayed Math - Use `$$` delimiters or `\[ \]` for standalone, centered equations. :::: {.columns} ::: {.column width="50%"} ```tex $$ E=mc^2 $$ \[ \sum_{i=1}^n x_i \] ``` ::: ::: {.column width="50%"} $$E=mc^2 $$ $$ \sum_{i=1}^n x_i $$ ::: :::: ## Numbered Equations - Use the `equation` environment to automatically number equations. - (Doesn't work on these slides!) :::: {.columns} ::: {.column width="50%"} ```tex \begin{equation} a^2 + b^2 = c^2 \end{equation} ``` ::: ::: {.column width="50%"} \begin{equation} a^2 + b^2 = c^2 \end{equation} ::: :::: ## Multiple Equations - Use the `align` environment for multiple aligned equations. - This is where `&` matters! :::: {.columns} ::: {.column width="50%"} ```tex \begin{align} 2x + 3y &= 7 \\ x - y &= 1 \end{align} ``` ::: ::: {.column width="50%"} \begin{align} 2x + 3y &= 7 \\ x - y &= 1 \end{align} ::: :::: --- # Lists ## Unordered Lists - Use the `itemize` environment for bulleted lists. ```tex \begin{itemize} \item First item. \item Second item. \end{itemize} ``` ## Ordered Lists - Use the `enumerate` environment for numbered lists. ```tex \begin{enumerate} \item Step one. \item Step two. \end{enumerate} ``` ## Nested Lists - Lists can be nested by placing one list environment inside another. ```tex \begin{itemize} \item Main point. \begin{enumerate} \item Sub-point A. \item Sub-point B. \end{enumerate} \end{itemize} ``` --- # Sections ## Document Structure - LaTeX uses commands like `\section`, `\subsection`, etc., to structure your document. - These are the same intent as `#` and `##`. ```tex \section{Introduction} \subsection{Background} ``` ## Automatic Numbering - Sections, figures, and tables are automatically numbered. ```tex \section{Results} See Section~\ref{sec:methods} for details. \section{Methods} \label{sec:methods} ``` # Tables ## Basic Tables - Use the `tabular` environment to create tables. - `|` creates vertical lines, `h` for horizontal lines, `l`, `c`, `r` for column alignment. ```tex \begin{tabular}{|l|c|r|} \hline Left & Center & Right \\ \hline Data 1 & 2.5 & 100 \\ Data 2 & 3.0 & 200 \\ \hline \end{tabular} ``` ## Table Caption - Use the `table` environment with `\caption` to add a caption and label. ```tex \begin{table}[h!] \centering \caption{A simple table} \label{tab:simple} \begin{tabular}{|l|l|} \hline Header A & Header B \\ \hline Row 1A & Row 1B \\ \hline \end{tabular} \end{table} ``` --- # Images ## Including Images - Use the `graphicx` package and `\includegraphics` to add images. ```tex \usepackage{graphicx} % in preamble \includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{julia.png} ``` ## Figure Environment - Use the `figure` environment with `\caption` and `\label` for proper referencing. ```tex \begin{figure}[h!] \centering \includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{julia.png} \caption{The Julia set.} \label{fig:julia} \end{figure} ``` --- # References ## Basic Citations - LaTeX has robust citation management with BibTeX or BibLaTeX. - This is programmable, and can look whoever you like, for example: :::: {.columns} ::: {.column width="50%"} ```tex ...as shown by Smith \cite{smith2020}. \begin{thebibliography}{9} \bibitem{smith2020} J. Smith, \textit{A Great Book}, Publisher, 2020. \end{thebibliography} ``` ::: ::: {.column width="50%"} ...as shown by Smith [1]. **References** [1] J. Smith, *A Great Book*, Publisher, 2020. ::: :::: ## Cross-referencing - Refer to figures, tables, and sections using `\ref{}`. :::: {.columns} ::: {.column width="50%"} ```tex As seen in Figure~\ref{fig:example} and Table~\ref{tab:simple}. ``` ::: ::: {.column width="50%"} As seen in Figure 1 and Table 1. ::: :::: --- # Exercise ## Exercise - Complete the "[Learn LaTeX in 30 minutes](https://www.overleaf.com/learn/latex/Learn_LaTeX_in_30_minutes)" tutorial. - Download the PDF. - Add the PDF to your scientific computing repostitory as "30_min.pdf"