Math & Science ⇒ How do I prevent latex from inserting unwanted dollar signs?

[Singularity]

The quoted code is supposed to represent instructions for using a calculator (MWE at the bottom). However, the latex compiler insists on inserting "$" in various places. For example, it puts a dollar sign prior to the text "x^3", then the output is an x raised to the third power, which would be great if the calculator had an x^3 button.

But the calculator has a "x" button, a "^" button and a "3" button, which I want to be printed exactly as "x^3".

On the other hand, there is an "x^2" button, so I do want that text to be interpreted as math. You can see how I put the dollar signs around that statement.

How can I get the latex compiler to stop inserting unwanted $s?

You can enter the integral from line 2 into your calculator as\newline
\texttt{\textsc{[math] 9 2[$\pi$]1/6(x^3 [>] +3/x) [2nd] [$x^2$] 1/4(x [$x^2$] +x^-2 [>] ) [$x^2$],x,1/2,x}}

Code: Select all

\documentclass[fleqn]{article}
\usepackage{amsfonts,amsmath,amssymb,amsthm,nicefrac}
\everymath{\displaystyle}
\setlength{\parindent}{0pt}
\setlength{\parskip}{\baselineskip}
\begin{document}

Alternately, you can enter the integral from line 2 into your calculator as\newline
\newline
\texttt{\textsc{[math] 9 2[$\pi$]1/6(x^3 [>] +3/x) [2nd] [$x^2$] 1/4(x [$x^2$] +x^-2 [>] ) [$x^2$],x,1/2,x}}

\end{document}

[Johannes_B]

Like the backslash, or the dollar sign, the circumflex (caret) is a symbol that has to be treated in a different way, if you want to print it.

Code: Select all

\documentclass[fleqn]{article}
\usepackage{amsfonts,amsmath,amssymb,amsthm,nicefrac}
\everymath{\displaystyle}
\setlength{\parindent}{0pt}
\setlength{\parskip}{\baselineskip}
\newcommand{\calcinput}[1]{\begingroup\ttfamily#1\endgroup}
\begin{document}

Alternately, you can enter the integral from line 2 into your
calculator as%\newline
%\newline%Oh, please don't do that

\calcinput{\textsc{[math] 9 2[$\pi$]1/6(x\textasciicircum3 [>]
	+3/x) [2nd] [x$^2$]%note the difference
	1/4(x [$x^2$] +x\^{}-2 [>] )
[$x^2$],x,1/2,x}}

\end{document}

[Singularity]

Thansk, Johannes. What exactly was the part that told Latex not to insert dollar signs?

I notice you treated the circumflex differently in two different spots. Once you explicitly said "\circumflex" and once you just escaped it with a slash. What's the difference? Were you just showing me two different ways to accomplish the same thing?

I had tried escaping it, but it didn't work. I think I did it wrong.

Thanks.

[Johannes_B]

What told LaTeX not to get into math mode? Both are text commands.

Both ways are exactly the same

Code: Select all

\DeclareTextCommandDefault{\textasciicircum}{\^{}}

As you can see, it really escaping the char, but it is a placing the diacritic over an non-existing letter (the empty argument). I bet you forgot that pair of empty braces and suddenly the minus sign got a caret. At least this is what happended to me when i tried the first time ;-)

[cgnieder]

What exactly was the part that told Latex not to insert dollar signs?

This minimal example

Code: Select all

\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
^
\end{document}

gives in the log

Code: Select all

! Missing $ inserted.
<inserted text> 
                $
l.3 ^
     
I've inserted a begin-math/end-math symbol since I think
you left one out. Proceed, with fingers crossed.

In standard settings the character ^ has category code 7 (math superscript) which makes usage of ^ only allowed in math mode. If (La)TeX finds it in another mode it switches to math mode trying to fix the supposed error in the code.

Regards