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Symbols, subscripts, etc.?

How does one insert sub- and superscripts in answers here, as well as things like Delta or degree symbols?

Please forgive my ignorance...

John

3 Answers

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  • 3 years ago

    I just keep a bunch of characters in a text file and cut and paste as needed. On my mac, the most common ones are directly accessible via option characters, such as Ωç√∫µºåß∂ƒ©∆œ∑®†¥øπ and more

    text file:

    Super: ⁰ ¹ ² ³ ⁴ ⁵ ⁶ ⁷ ⁸ ⁹ ⁻ ™ ⁺

    Sub: ₀ ₁ ₂ ₃ ₄ ₅ ₆ ₇ ₈ ₉

    Money: ∈ ∉ £ ¢ ¥ € $

    Greek: Αα Ββ Γγ Δδ Εε Ζζ Ηη Θθ Ιι Κκ Λλ

    Μμ Νν Ξξ Οο Ππ Ρρ Σσ Ττ Υυ Φφ Χχ Ψψ ΩωƱ

    smaller: ʙ c ᵢ κ ʟ oo ʀᵣ s ᵤ vᵥ w x ʏ z

    super: ᴬª ᴮᵇ ᴰᵈ ᴱᵉ ᴳᵍ ᴴʰ ᴵⁱ ᴶʲ ᴷᵏ ᴸˡ ᴹᵐ

    ᴺⁿ ᴼᵒ ᴾᵖ P ʳᴿ ˢᵀ ᵗ ᵁᵘ ᵛ ʷᵂ ˣ ʸ

    Math: ∫ ≈ ∼ ± ∓ √ ∛ ∜ ∂ ≠ ∇ ∆ ≤ ≥ ∼ ∞ ∝

    ✚ × ÷ ≠ ↑↓↑ ½ ⅓ ⅔ ¼ ¾ ⅜ · • × ⧸ / ℓ

  • 3 years ago

    I use the LaTeX (a math typesetting program) convention of underscore for subscript and caret for superscript. Most people follow that convention.

    Thus, x * x = x^2.

    And x_0, x_1, x_2 represents x with subscripts 1, 2, 3.

    I similarly use text conventions for other expressions like summation, integration, greek letters, etc. I find most times when people attempt to actually typeset mathematical symbols, it is often garbled and ends up confusing the reader. It tends to irritate me.

    So:

    delta-T

    sin(theta)

    150 deg

    integral (x = 1,infinity) sin(x) dx

    sum(k=1,n) a_n x^n/n!

    I do occasionally use a small letter o for a couple of things. It is useful as the symbol for function composition, (f o g), and two of them together make a convincing infinity symbol: [0,oo]

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