Inline Equations
An equation inside a sentence—which delimiters?
✅ NormativeSettled. The requirement holds as written.📄 Page ruleCan be applied from the page alone.Read §7.2.6 in the RFC ↗
Every equation MUST be written as LaTeX inside $$ … $$, inline ones included. Single-$
delimiters MUST NOT be used.
When it applies
the coefficient $$\alpha$$ is fixed
The same delimiters apply whether the equation sits in the middle of a sentence or on a line of its own; there is no separate inline form. Displayed equations and their numbers are covered in Displayed Equations (§7.2.2).
Reading the examples. Each one pairs a source page with the output the rule expects. ✅ Sample: the rule applies. ❌ Counter-sample: it looks like it applies and does not, or a rendering got it wrong. A non-conforming output, in red, is shown only for contrast. … marks content left out of an excerpt.
The point, in a small example
Distinguish printed currency from mathematics before choosing delimiters. These pages are made up to isolate the rule.
Currency and inline mathematics share one sentence
The first dollar sign is a printed currency symbol. Only x = 2 is mathematics; the double delimiters prevent an unrelated currency sign from being mistaken for an equation boundary.
Source page
Non-conforming output
What the rule rules out.
Fee: $$5. Use x = 2$ to continue.Expected output
Fee: $5. Use $$x = 2$$ to continue.An equation inside a sentence
This is mathematical notation, so encode the equation as LaTeX with double-dollar delimiters, even inside a sentence.
Source page
Non-conforming output
What the rule rules out.
The energy is $E = mc^2$.Expected output
The energy is $$E = mc^{2}$$.Why double delimiters
A lone $ is ambiguous. Notebook and Markdown renderers treat an unrelated currency sign further
down the page as the closing delimiter, open an unterminated maths span and swallow everything
after it. Doubling the delimiter removes the ambiguity. It is non-standard for inline maths, and
that cost is accepted.
Neighbouring rules, and how they differ
More
Rule id text-inline-equations · text formatting math