LaTeX forum ⇒ Math & Science ⇒ overbrace on top of a multi-line eqquation

[mghorba]

I would like to put a brace on top of a multiline equation. For instance in the following equation I want a brace on top of "k+l+m" which are broken over two lines. How can I do this?

I tried \overbrace{}^{\text{}} but it doesn't like multi lines (i.e. \\ inside \overbrace{}).

\begin{equation}
\begin{IEEEeqnarraybox}{rCl}
a & = & b + c
\\
& = & d + e + f + g + h
+ i + j + k \\
&& +\> l + m + n + o
\\
& = & p + q + r + s
\end{IEEEeqnarraybox}
\end{equation}

[kaiserkarl13]

I'm confused as to what you want. Clearly, spreading a brace across a line break makes no sense. Do you want overbraces over both the end of one line and the beginning of the next one (i.e., two separate braces)?

If you're trying to get the brace itself to split in an arbitrary location and continue on the next line, THAT is impossible: the brace is a separate character, it can't be divided.