1/24/11
Original Poster
Bas Braams

# Spacing errors in mathematical equations

Greetings. I would like to raise some issues about spacing in mathematical equations. In the spirit of TeX/LaTeX whitespace is a matter for the system; in a simple equation the author does not explicitly include space characters. The Google Documents editor behaves that way in principle, but there are errors. The correct spacing for mathematical symbols gets messed up when one attaches a subscript or superscript (or exponent) to the symbol. For example, compare the equivalents of TeX $a\cosh x$ and $a\cosh^2x$ (cosh vs cosh-squared), or try to attach a subscript “w” to an order symbol, TeX $\leq_w$. In both cases all spacing around the symbol disappears, also the spacing to the left of the symbol, and one has to reinsert the spacing as distinct space characters. If GDocs doesn't want to be particularly sophisticated about mathematical spacing then a simple rule when a subscript and or superscript is attached to a symbol would be that the amount of spacing left and right is preserved, but the spacing to the right moves beyond the subscript or superscript. A related issue applies when one uses a mathematical symbol from the (Insert / Special characters) menu. Now there in no spacing at all, even if the symbol is also found in the proper equations menu and has correct spacing attached there. Basically an author of mathematical text should want to find all his or her symbols in the proper equations menu, but many are missing there.
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