Wiki Editing Help

Note: The following is borrowed (with some modifications) from Dana Enst's help page and Elisha Peterson's help page.

## Page Editing Basics

• To edit a page, click the edit button at the bottom of the page. This will open an editor with a toolbar palette with options. When you are done, click save. If you are working on a longer edit, hit save & continue frequently!
• On any page, you should be able to click the + options button at the bottom of the page and view source to see examples of how certain things are done
• You'll likely find the Wiki Syntax Page helpful the first few times you edit a page.
• You can also find more information on the Documentation pages.

## Creating Mathematical Notation

Wikidot uses the markup language called $\LaTeX$, which you have likely had some experience with in Math 185, to generate properly typeset mathematics. $\LaTeX$ requires memorizing (or looking up) "commands" for creating certain kinds of characters. Since you'll creating Wiki entries with serious mathematical content, $\LaTeX$ will be a very helpful tool for you (and it's expected that you use $\LaTeX$ where it's needed to create standard mathematical notation.)

### The Basics

When you're in the editing panel, you can insert mathematical expressions within your text (i.e., "inline") by using the code

[[$your-mathematical-expression-here$]]


For instance, this sentence — which includes the equation $x^{2}+y^{2} = r^{2}$ — is typeset as

For instance, this sentence -- which includes the equation [[$x^{2}+y^{2} = r^{2}$]] -- is typeset as


You can also have your mathematical expressions separated from the text and placed on their own line for emphasis. For instance, if you wanted to type:

Here's some fancy mathematics to impress my friends:

(1)
\begin{align} \log \zeta(s) = s\int_{2}^{\infty} \frac{\pi(x)}{x(x^{s}-1)}~dx = \log \prod_{p} (1-p^{-s})^{-1}. \end{align}

then you'd use the code

Here's some fancy mathematics to impress my friends:
[$] \log \zeta(s) = s\int_{2}^{\infty} \frac{\pi(x)}{x(x^{s}-1)}~dx = \log \prod_{p} (1-p^{-s})^{-1}. [$]


Here are some other general rules to keep in mind as you write:

• All wiki commands are of the form [[stuff goes here]].
• All inline mathematical notation must be framed by dollar signs. That is, in the wiki, all inline mathematical notation is of the form [[$math-stuff$]].
• All displayed mathematical notation (i.e., on its own line and centered) is of the form [$] math-stuff [$].
• All special symbols in $\LaTeX$ are of the form \some-command.

### Examples

Here are a few more examples that illustrate some of the mathematical notation we may want to use:

expression you want code you type
$n \in \mathbb{N} \subseteq \mathbb{Z}$ [[$n \in \mathbb{N} \subseteq \mathbb{Z}$]]
$\sum_{i=1}^n i^2=1^2+2^2+ \cdots +(n-1)^2+n^2$ [[$\sum_{i=1}^n i^2=1^2+2^2+ \cdots (n-1)^2+n^2$]]
$\sqrt{2} \notin \mathbb{Q}$ [[$\sqrt{2} \notin \mathbb{Q}$]]
$2\in \{2,3,4\} \cap \{1,2,3\}$ [[$2\in \{2,3,4\} \cap \{1,2,3\}$]]
$f:A\to B$ [[$f:A\to B$]]
$f(x_1)\neq f(x_2)$ [[$f(x_1)\neq f(x_2)$]]
$\{a_n\}_{n=1}^{\infty}$ [[$\{a_n\}_{n=1}^{\infty}$]]
$(f\circ g)(x)=f(g(x))$ [[$(f\circ g)(x)=f(g(x))$]]
$\frac{a}{b}+\frac{c}{d}\neq \frac{a+b}{c+d}$ [[$\frac{a}{b}+\frac{c}{d}\neq \frac{a+b}{c+d}$]]

Greek letters are typeset using \name: for example, \theta produces $\theta$. In order to produce a left or right brace, the brace needs to be preceded by a backslash. For example, $\mathbb{N}=\{1,2,3,\ldots\}$ is typeset with [[$\mathbb{N}=\{1,2,3,\ldots\}$]] and notice the use of \{ and \}.

Using $\LaTeX$ allows you to do fancy things like the following:

(2)
\begin{align} \sum_{i=1}^{k+1}i & = \left(\sum_{i=1}^{k}i\right) +(k+1)\\ & = \frac{k(k+1)}{2}+k+1 & (\text{by inductive hypothesis})\\ & = \frac{k(k+1)+2(k+1)}{2}\\ & = \frac{(k+1)(k+2)}{2}\\ & = \frac{(k+1)((k+1)+1)}{2}. \end{align}

which is typeset using

[] \begin{align*} \sum_{i=1}^{k+1}i & = \left(\sum_{i=1}^{k}i\right) +(k+1)\\ & = \frac{k(k+1)}{2}+k+1 & (\text{by inductive hypothesis})\\ & = \frac{k(k+1)+2(k+1)}{2}\\ & = \frac{(k+1)(k+2)}{2}\\ & = \frac{(k+1)((k+1)+1)}{2}. \end{align*} []


The online tool Detexify will try to match $\LaTeX$ code to the symbol you hand-draw. If you would like to create .pdf documents using $\LaTeX$, WriteLatex is a free, online $\LaTeX$ compiler. There are also many other $\LaTeX$ resources available on the web, and you are always welcome to talk with me if you need some $\LaTeX$ advice.