Question

What is LaTeX? And how do I use it?

Answer 1

It's a typesetting system.
You can "use" it by either
- writing LaTeX code (in any text editor) and asking directly to the latex machine to create a pdf file based on your file.
- using software (lyx for example) that will create this code for you, in the background.
Many editors exist and when you have written something you just have to press a button to obtain a pdf file.

If you know html then it helps, it is the same: it uses commands that act like html
tags.

Depending on the use, it can be straightforward to use, or not.. What would you like to use Latex for?

Answer 2

Thank you! and I was just wondering, so its all the big colored words and symbols people use?

Answer 3

Yes. to write "\({\color{red}{hello}}\)", I type
\ ( :(without space) this opens the "latex mode" (for maths)
\color{red}{hello}
\ ) : (without space) this ends the latex mode.

I had to type it with a space otherwise it thinks I really want to type maths..

for maths there is a button "\(\Sigma\)Equation" that alllows you to type math symbols. then you don't have to remember that \(\alpha\) is obtained by typing \alpha in latex mode... lol

Answer 4

\(\color{#008AFF}{hey}\)

Answer 5

Ah yay :)

Answer 6

\(\color{red}{\text{hello}}\). text not in italics. you have to type \text{hello} instead of just "hello". Reason: between \ ( and \ ), it consideres all letters as variables, and math variables are displayed in italics.

Answer 7

anyway, well done (:

Answer 8

Thanks !

Answer 9

\(\color{red}{\Huge\text{Hello}}\)
is obtained by writing
\color{red}{\Huge\text{Hello}}
between \ ( and \ ).
These sizes are available:
\Huge
\huge
\LARGE
\Large
\large
\normalsize (default)
\small
\footnotesize
\scriptsize
\tiny

Answer 10

Here is a nice tutorial :)
http://openstudy.com/updates/515f3e09e4b0115bc14d4e65