Question

Math formatting "Pro Tips" edition: Stacking characters! - "?"

Answer 1

I was trying to answer a chemistry question just now and came across a very useful function, especially for math expressions.

Here's how it goes

hashtag underbrace(whatever) hashtag

it'll look like this

`underbrace(2+2+2)`

`underbrace("testing, testing...")`

If you want, you can add a label to it by writing

hashtag underbrace(whatever)_(label) hashtag

you'll get

`underbrace(2+2+2)_("3 times")`

`4+ n + underbrace(x + ... + x)_("n times") + 3 + 5`

You can use overbrace as well to get

`overbrace(2+ 2 + 2)`

To write above the expression use

hashtag overbrace(whatever)^(label) hashtag

`overbrace(x + x + x + ... + x)^("100 times")`

Anyway, you can get pretty creative with this stuff, as I'm sure you will.

`underbrace(AB + CD)_(color(blue)("reactants")) -> overbrace(CB + AD)^(color(green)("products")`

`underbrace(x^(2) * x^(2) * x^(2) * ... * x^(2))_("10 times") = x^(overbrace(2 + 2 + ... + 2)^("10 times")) = x^(20)`

Another interesting one

hashtage stackrel(text you want on top)(text you want on the bottom) hashtag

it produces

`stackrel("whatever text you want on top")("whatever text you want on the bottom")`

If you want to use two or more underbrace or overbrace functions in a row, use this syntax

hashtag overbrace(whatever)^text(label) hashtag

or

hashtag underbrace(whatever)_text(label) hashtag

you can write stuff like

`z = overbrace(underbrace(a)_text(real) + underbrace(ib)_text(imaginary))^text(complex number)`

or

`underbrace(n + n + n + underbrace(x + x+ ... + x)_text(Z times) + n + n + n)_text(Y times)`