Most common MathJax uses in Electrical Engineering?

Question

MathJax is super handy for expressing mathematical concepts in electrical engineering. What are the most common symbols and operators that you can use?

Answer 1

This is intended as a quick reference, where scrolling to the right section and pulling the symbol you want should not take more than a few seconds :)

This is specific to SE:EE, since a few things from Math don't seem to work here!

MathJax Enclosures:

Equation set: Put MathJax statements between double dollar signs:

The fake equation is: $$ A \times B = C $$

The fake equation is: $$ A \times B = C $$

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Inline: Put MathJax between backslash dollar signs:

\$ \beta\$ is given in the datasheet as \$h_{FE} \$

\$ \beta\$ is given in the datasheet as \$h_{FE} \$

• Note: Both kinds of enclosures can be used in both comments and titles!

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Superscripts, Subscripts, and Grouping:

Use the caret symbol to designate superscripts and the underbar for subscripts:

\$x^2\$ is not equal to \$a_0\$

\$x^2\$ is not equal to \$a_0\$

Use curly braces {} to make operators work on groups of characters:

\$h_{FE}\$ is an unreliable parameter

\$h_{FE}\$ is an unreliable parameter

You can combine subscripts and superscripts for the same term:

 \$b_0^2\$ is the same as \$b^2_0\$

\$b_0^2\$ is the same as \$b^2_0\$ (order doesn't matter)

But be careful about grouping!

\$b_0^2\$ is not the same as \$b_{0^2}\$ or \$b^{2_0}\$

\$b_0^2\$ is not the same as \$b_{0^2}\$ or \$b^{2_0}\$

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Fractions and Parentheses:

To create a fraction, you can use \frac or \over. \frac precedes two groups, and \over splits a group. Place \left( and \right) on either side of a group to get scaled parentheses. You can also use \left[...\right], \left\{...\right\}, \left|...\right|, or \left<...\right>.

$$\left( \frac{x+1}{y-5} \right)$$

$$\left( \frac{x+1}{y-5} \right)$$

$$\left| {x^2+1 \over y^2+1} \right|$$

$$\left| {x^2+1 \over y^2+1} \right|$$

And all in one gratuitous example:

$$\left\{ { \left<{x^2+1 \over y^2+1}\right> \over \left[ \frac{x+1}{y-5} \right] } \right\}$$

$$\left\{ { \left<{x^2+1 \over y^2+1}\right> \over \left[ \frac{x+1}{y-5} \right] } \right\}$$

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Greek Letters:

(for small uses, HTML character codes are also available and can optionally be italicized)

• \$\alpha\$ \alpha (α α α)
• \$\beta\$ \beta (β β β)
• \$\gamma\$ \gamma (γ γ γ)
• \$ \Gamma\$ \Gamma (Γ Γ Γ)
• \$\delta\$ \delta (δ δ δ)
• \$\Delta\$ \Delta (Δ Δ Δ)
• \$\epsilon\$ \epsilon (ε ε ε)
• \$\varepsilon\$ \varepsilon
• \$\zeta\$ \zeta (ζ ζ ζ)
• \$\eta\$ \eta (η η η)
• \$\theta\$ \theta (θ θ θ)
• \$\vartheta\$ \vartheta
• \$\Theta\$ \Theta (Θ Θ Θ)
• \$\iota\$ \iota
• \$\kappa\$ \kappa
• \$\varkappa\$ \varkappa
• \$\lambda\$ \lambda
• \$\Lambda\$ \Lambda
• \$\mu\$ \mu
• \$\nu\$ \nu
• \$\xi\$ \xi
• \$\Xi\$ \Xi
• \$\omicron\$ \omicron
• \$\pi\$ \pi
• \$\varpi\$ \varpi
• \$\Pi\$ \Pi
• \$\rho\$ \rho
• \$\varrho\$ \varrho
• \$\sigma\$ \sigma
• \$\varsigma\$ \varsigma
• \$\Sigma\$ \Sigma
• \$\tau\$ \tau
• \$\upsilon\$ \upsilon
• \$\Upsilon\$ \Upsilon
• \$\phi\$ \phi
• \$\varphi\$ \varphi
• \$\Phi\$ \Phi
• \$\chi\$ \chi
• \$\psi\$ \psi
• \$\Psi\$ \Psi
• \$\omega\$ \omega
• \$\Omega\$ \Omega

Equality:

• \$\lt\$ \lt
• \$\gt\$ \gt
• \$\le\$ \le
• \$\ge\$ \ge
• \$\neq\$ \neq
• \$\approx\$ \approx
• \$\not\approx\$ \not\approx

Operators:

• \$\times\$ \times
• \$\div\$ \div
• \$\cdot\$ \cdot
• \$\oplus\$ \oplus (xor)
• \$\nabla\$ \nabla ("del operator")
• \$\partial\$ \partial

Miscellaneous:

• \$\to\$ \to
• \$\Im\$ \Im (imaginary part)
• \$\Re\$ \Re (real part)
• \$\infty\$ \infty
• \$\pm\$ \$\mp\$ \pm \mp
• \$a_0,\ldots,a_x\$ a_0,\ldots,a_x (lower ellipses)
• \$a_0 + \cdots +a_{x-1}+a_x\$ a_0 + \cdots +a_{x-1}+a_x (mid ellipses)

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Special Functions

• \$\sin(x)\$ \sin(x)
• \$\cos(x)\$ \cos(x)
• \$\tan(x)\$ \tan(x)
• \$\tan^{-1}({a\over b})\$ \tan^{-1}({a\over b})
• \$\sqrt{x^2 \over y^2}\$ \sqrt{x^2 \over y^2}
• \$\sqrt[x]{a+b}\$ \sqrt[x]{a+b}
• \$\max\{a,b\}\$ \max\{a,b\}
• \$\min\{a,b\}\$ \min\{a,b\}
• \$\ln(x)\$ \ln(x)
• \$\log_{10}(x)\$ \log_{10}(x)

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Space:

Narrow: \, $$a\,b$$ Single: \; $$a\;b$$ Quad: \quad $$a \quad b$$ Quad quad: \qquad $$a\qquad b$$

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Vector Notation:

Each style of vector notation has a single character and a multi-character delineation, but the multi-character version is also usable in the single-character case.

Hats, unit vectors:

$$\hat a \quad \widehat{abc}$$

$$\hat a \quad \widehat{abc}$$

Magnitudes, lines:

$$\bar a \quad \overline{abc}$$

$$\bar a \quad \overline{abc}$$

Vectors:

$$\vec a \quad \overrightarrow{ac}$$

$$\vec a \quad \overrightarrow{ac}$$

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Limits, Integrals, Sums, and Products:

These functions display differently depending on whether they are inline with \$...\$ or set apart with $$...$$.

With inline text, limits will be rendered inline as default:

Inline: \$\lim_{x\to 0}x\$

Inline: \$\lim_{x\to 0}x\$

In an equation, limits will be rendered more traditionally by default:

$$\lim_{x\to 0}x$$

$$\lim_{x\to 0}x$$

In order to get the more traditional rendering using inline MathJax, you must use the \limits operator:

Some inline text oh look a limit! \$\lim \limits_{x\to 0}x\$

Some inline text oh look a limit! \$\lim \limits_{x\to 0}x\$

The \limits operator should work similarly for all symbols in this section.

$$\int_{a}^{b}x\;dx$$

$$\int_{a}^{b}x\;dx$$

$$\iint_V xy\;dx\;dy$$

$$\iint_V xy\;dx\;dy$$

$$\iiint_V xyz\;dx\;dy\;dz$$

$$\iiint_V xyz\;dx\;dy\;dz$$

$$\oint_V f(s)\;ds$$

$$\oint_V f(s)\;ds$$

$$\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} 2^{n-1}=1$$

$$\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} 2^{n-1}=1$$

$$\prod_{i=a}^{b} f(i)$$

$$\prod_{i=a}^{b} f(i)$$

Answer 2

One handy thing I've picked up is a quick degree symbol: writing

360\$^\circ\$

gives you

360\$^\circ\$