How can I make text appear correctly in an equation?

Question

The basic outline of the equation below is correct but how can I make the text appear correctly right now it appears scrunched up?

\documentclass{report}
\begin{document}
\begin{align*}
 \left.
 k_S

= \left\lbrace
\begin{array}{l}
k_{LW}    \text{if} k_{ICOMP}<k_{LW} \\
k_{ICOMP} \text {otherwise}
\end{array}
\right.
\end{align*}
\end{document}

You didn't include the amsmath package, as it is needed for your use of align*. Moreover, you don't need align for this equation, since an equation* environment would do just as well. Finally, your construction is also made simple using the cases environment (also supplied by amsmath). — Werner, Sep 24 '14 at 19:30
Okay, then you need to provide more information as to "why" it doesn't work. Just saying that doesn't help. — Werner, Sep 24 '14 at 19:34
see the edit above I tried doing it with the \text{} but the text still looks terrible — Bazman, Sep 24 '14 at 19:40
You're not including the amsmath package as part of your preamble (\usepackage{amsmath}), which probably will fix what you call "terrible". — Werner, Sep 24 '14 at 19:43

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 24 '14 at 19:48

2

Why no use cases of the amsmath package?

\documentclass{report}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\begin{document}
\begin{align*}
  k_S=\begin{cases}
k_{\text{LW}} & \text{if } k_{\text{ICOMP}}<k_{\text{LW}} \\
k_{\text{ICOMP}} & \text{otherwise}
\end{cases}
\end{align*}
\end{document}

enter image description here

answered Sep 24 '14 at 19:48

skpblack

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Or cases* from mathtools: the 2nd column will then be in text mode. – Bernard Sep 24 '14 at 20:13

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 24 '14 at 19:41

Maybe this? Note I made the subscripts upright, since they seemed to be acronyms of some sort, rather than indices or variable names. I also adjusted \arraycolsep from its default, to tune the gap between the left brace and the following content.

\documentclass{report}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\begin{document}
\begin{align*}
 k_S
= \left\{
\arraycolsep=1pt\relax
\begin{array}{l}
\text{$k_\text{LW}$    if $k_\text{ICOMP}<k_\text{LW}$} \\
\text{$k_\text{ICOMP}$ otherwise}
\end{array}
\right.
\end{align*}
\end{document}

enter image description here

How can I make text appear correctly in an equation?

2 Answers2