Strikeout in math mode

Question

How can I strikeout words in math mode (similar to \sout with \usepackage{ulem} in text mode)? I've tried \usepackage{cancel} and $\cancel{1+1=2}$ but that draws a diagonal line.

Alain Matthes · Answer 1 · 2011-06-13T12:55:52.640

25

version 2 (fine remark from Martin)

\documentclass{scrartcl}
\usepackage{xcolor,cancel}

\newcommand\hcancel[2][black]{\setbox0=\hbox{$#2$}%
\rlap{\raisebox{.45\ht0}{\textcolor{#1}{\rule{\wd0}{1pt}}}}#2} 

\begin{document}

\[
  x+\hcancel[red]{ \sum_a \mathcal{D}^a\mathcal{D}_a}=2x+ \sum_a \mathcal{D}^a\mathcal{D}_a+3 
\]

\end{document}

enter image description here

edited Jun 13 '11 at 12:55

answered Jun 13 '11 at 12:19

Alain Matthes

95,075

1

\hbox{#2} will typeset #2 in textmode, which is fine with y (except maybe a slightly wrong width), but will break horrible with real math expressions. – Martin Scharrer Jun 13 '11 at 12:44
@Martin yes you are right, I forgot $...$ – Alain Matthes Jun 13 '11 at 12:56
Does this solution rely on \documentclass{scrartcl}? – N.N. Jun 13 '11 at 17:16
@N.N. no I think the package `cancel is independent – Alain Matthes Jun 13 '11 at 17:47
I removed the $$ from the \hbox and included them in the parameter (e.g., \hcancel{$2+2=4$} and it worked fine. Thanks! – cxw Dec 30 '16 at 21:26
Is there any way to make it work also in subscript? See https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/583242/colored-strikeout-in-subscript-in-mathmode – tobiasBora Feb 13 '21 at 19:04

score 21 · Answer 2 · answered May 09 '16 at 11:17

21

I'm using this hack with the ulem package in the preamble.

\usepackage[normalem]{ulem}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\newcommand{\stkout}[1]{\ifmmode\text{\sout{\ensuremath{#1}}}\else\sout{#1}\fi}

In the document, I use the command thus defined, \stkout

Lorem \stkout{ipsum}. $x + \stkout{y + z} = 1$.
\begin{equation}
    A + \stkout{B + C + D} = E.
\end{equation}

Reference: Opposite of \ensuremath: ensure that I'm *not* in math mode?

answered May 09 '16 at 11:17

Cong Ma

351

3

If find the cancel package much more practical, but your method is anyway interesting :) – loved.by.Jesus Jul 07 '16 at 13:20
1

I quite like this approach, but feel that it would work better by just patching this to \sout - you can do this with \let\isout\sout \renewcommand{\sout}[1]{\ifmmode\text{\isout{\ensuremath{#1}}}\else\isout{#1}\fi} in the premable of your document. Requires amsmath and ulem – Taylor Raine Apr 29 '20 at 20:31
Calling the ulem package seems to have unintended consequences for my bibliography. :(. – Till Jul 18 '22 at 09:24
Why does this preserve italics even though the math is inside \text? – sturgman Sep 02 '22 at 13:11

Leo Liu · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-13T12:27:40.427

20

Use something like

\sout{$a^2+b^2=c^2$}

or

\[
  \hbox{\sout{$a^2+b^2$}}=c^2
\]

And you can of course define a command for convenience.

edited Jun 13 '11 at 12:27

answered Jun 13 '11 at 12:14

Leo Liu

77,365

6

This does not work inside math mode, e.g. if I want to strikeout a portion of a phrase in math mode. – N.N. Jun 13 '11 at 12:20
@N.N.: It's easy to generalize the solution. See update. – Leo Liu Jun 13 '11 at 12:28
1

This method does not really work well. The ulem package is necessary, and it changes \emph{} to underlining. – Jeff Aug 29 '13 at 19:35
1

@Jeff: Use \normalem. – Leo Liu Aug 30 '13 at 02:20
@Jeff: or \usepackage[normalem]{ulem}. – sigvaldm Jan 17 '20 at 10:54

score 13 · Answer 4 · 2011-06-13T12:56:57.590

13

Works in math and text mode

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{calc}
\newsavebox\CBox
\newcommand\hcancel[2][0.5pt]{%
  \ifmmode\sbox\CBox{$#2$}\else\sbox\CBox{#2}\fi%
  \makebox[0pt][l]{\usebox\CBox}%  
  \rule[0.5\ht\CBox-#1/2]{\wd\CBox}{#1}}
\begin{document}

\hcancel{Test}
\hcancel[2pt]{Test}

\end{document}

enter image description here

edited Jun 13 '11 at 12:56

answered Jun 13 '11 at 12:15

1

Indeed, but you need to restart the mathmode, don't you? E.g. `$x+\hcancel{$y$}+z$. – Martin Scharrer Jun 13 '11 at 12:43

Strikeout in math mode

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