LaTeX and Writing Mathematics

After this meeting students should:

• Understand how to use LaTeX
• Have access to guidance on writing

In class discussion

Discuss how they already have seen an example a markup language: LaTeX.

In fact: they have already seen some LaTeX.

Open up a local editor (do not feel obliged to use VS Code) and show to a LaTeX document can be compiled.

Then show that this is how they are expected to write their paper.

Specifically type the following::

\documentclass[a4paper]{article}

% Set up page size
\usepackage[margin=1.5cm, includefoot, footskip=30pt]{geometry}

% Nice way to display code
\usepackage{minted}

% Import images

\title{The TSP Package}
\author{Vince Knight}
\date{}


\begin{document}
\maketitle

\section{Introduction:The TSP}

\end{document}

Open overleaf and show how this can be used to write LaTeX.

Show them the following two guidelines for writing:

• https://vknight.org/cfm/assets/pdf/writing-mathematics-guidelines/main.pdf
• https://vknight.org/cfm/assets/pdf/a-guide-to-writing-mathematics/main.pdf

Use breakout rooms/groups and ask students to spend 5/10 minutes finding something specifically useful in there.

After breakout rooms ask all students to write down those things in a shared medium (for example the class discord).

After class communication

Send the following email after class::

Hi all,

A recording of today's class is available at <>.

In this class I went over automated writing mathematics. We discuss this
from a technical point of view (how to use LaTeX) and I refer you to my
notes on that: https://vknight.org/tex/

We also discussed guidelines for better writing:

- https://vknight.org/cfm/assets/pdf/writing-mathematics-guidelines/main.pdf
- https://vknight.org/cfm/assets/pdf/a-guide-to-writing-mathematics/main.pdf

On Friday the mathematics subject librarian will take the class to discuss
finding good sources for your paper (which is specifically a point in the
marking criteria).

Please get in touch if I can assist with anything,
Vince