4

I have an equation:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{mathtools}

\begin{document}

\begin{equation*}
\chi^2_{k-1, \alpha}
\end{equation*}

\end{document}

This creates:

enter image description here

I would like the subscript (the k-1, \alpha) to be lower, to make it really look like a subscript.

I have seen this and the tug.org article by Timothy Hall. However, I cannot get the Hall version to compile. Could anyone give an MWE of how to move the subscript lower?

StatsSorceress
  • 448
  • 1
    A cheap trick is to add a \vphantom of something tall, e.g. \chi^{2}_{\vphantom{1^{H}}k-1, \alpha}. –  Mar 18 '20 at 23:52

1 Answers1

6

Your example is somewhat deceiving in terms of the placement, since \chi is much deeper than you average symbol/letter, like X. For example, compare X^2_k to \chi^2_k:

enter image description here

You could introduce a taller subscript which should push it down further. Here is an option:

enter image description here

\documentclass{article}

\begin{document}

\[
  \chi^2_{k - 1, \alpha} \quad
  \chi^2_{{\textstyle\mathstrut}k - 1, \alpha}
\]

\end{document}

I've introduced a larger zero-width box of maximum height in \textstyle.

Note that dropping the subscript (through the introduction of something larger-than-usual) would impact the line height this construction sits on. It might not be visible within a math display, but be highlight if used in a regular paragraph setting.

Werner
  • 603,163
  • 1
    Yes, that's why I chose it: I am literally working with \chi, so that's why I'm encountering the issue of the subscript not really looking like a subscript! Thanks very much for this solution. – StatsSorceress Mar 19 '20 at 00:01