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Whenever I try to write down a definite integral in two-dimensional mode I have the issue that the superscript and subscript for the integral aren't recognised properly and rather than showing up directly above one another, one of them shifts to the right, as if the subscript is applied to the integral+superscript, rather than to the integral directly.

For instance, the key sequence:

EscintEscCtrl+61$\leftarrow$$\leftarrow$Ctrl+- 0

does not produce the desired result. For instance, if I change 0 to 0000000 I'll see the 1 at the top shift to the right to accommodate. No other way of inputting that I try can get me the proper bounds.

The documentation says that this way of inputting the bounds should work, but it never does for me. When I use input form style as Integrate[f[x], {x, 0, 1}] and then convert it, it does show up with the 0 and 1 correctly below and above the integral.

MicroVirus
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2 Answers2

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You are using the symbol for indefinite integrals and then adding Power and Subscript to that symbol, which doesn't make sense.

You should use EscdinttEsc for definite integral.

Then use Shift $\leftarrow$ or Shift Tab to select the lower limit.

Then move with Tab to the next fields.

enter image description here

rhermans
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  • Thanks for the answer; this does work. It's just that the Integrate documentation implies that there's only one integrate symbol and depending on whether or not it has a super- and subscript it will behave as a definite or indefinite integral. I think I may have found the workaround to entering it manually, namely by using "Opposite position (Ctrl+5)" from the Insert -> Typesetting menu. – MicroVirus Aug 19 '15 at 14:47
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    I think you are correct, the documentation does say that, but it clearly doesn't work that way. Probably this should be reported as a bug? – rhermans Aug 19 '15 at 15:24
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I had the same question and had to enter a service request to figure it out. The trick is to use the "opposite position" shortcut, which is ctrl + 5.

So to manually enter the integral, you could do it as such:

  1. Create the integral symbol: escintesc.
  2. Enter the lower bound: ctrl + 6 then enter the desired value.
  3. Enter the upper bound: ctrl + 5 to jump to the "opposite position," and then enter the desired value.
  4. Enter the expression to integrate to the right of the integral.
  5. Specify the variable to integrate over (add the differential): escddescx (e.g., if you want to integrate over x).

I suggested they improve the documentation on that page. The trick is to use ctrl + 5 (percent sign %) instead of ctrl + 6 (caret ^) to enter the upper limit.

sgdsgyhetwaraw
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