Alternative to \text inside an align environment

Question

Is there a way to write texts without resorting to using the \text macro every time I write something in the align enviroment?

I am trying to write a proof and pretty much 90% requires me to write inside the align environment.

Here is an example

\documentclass[11pt]{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\begin{document}
\begin{align*}
 E is {\bf open} & \iff \textit{every} point  is an {\bf interior point}
                 & \iff \forall x \in E, there exists a neighbourhood of x such that each N is disjoint
                 & \iff \forall x \in E, x is not a limit point of E^c
                 & E^c contains all its limit points
\end{align*}
\end{document}

Basically if I were to include the text, I have to wrap each sentence with \text{...}

Do the remaining 10% actually have to be aligned (to each other)? There’s also \intertext and with the mathtools package \shortintertext for longer passages that get typeset as normal text (not on the equation line). Can you make an example? What would the alternative to \text be? Another macro? — Qrrbrbirlbel, Dec 25 '12 at 01:08
I'll make the example of what I kinda what to do, just a sec — Lemon, Dec 25 '12 at 01:16
Please post a minimal working example (MWE), one that begins with \documentclass and ends with \end{document}. It would be easier to help if the solvers know the context that you are working in. Also, see Does it matter if I use \textit or \it, \bfseries or \bf, etc — hpesoj626, Dec 25 '12 at 01:26
No it doesn't truly matter if you use \it or \textit or \bf, though it would be easier on me if you are consistent with what I use. Also I know my current example does not work and I explained why and what I want to get at. I'll update immediately. Thanks. — Lemon, Dec 25 '12 at 01:31
Not that related to your problem actually, but if you read through the link in my comment, you will see that it is considered bad practice these days to use \it and \bf in LaTeX2e. I suggest that you use \textit and \textbf instead. :) — hpesoj626, Dec 25 '12 at 01:48

score 16 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 11 '17 at 20:41

The short answer to your question is yes. If you're going to place text within a math environment that you don't want treated like part of a mathematical expression, it needs to be within \text{...}.

But, since the majority of your proof is text, I would use a tabular environment.

\documentclass[11pt]{article}
\usepackage[margin=1in]{geometry}
\usepackage{tabularx}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{lipsum}
\pagestyle{empty}
\begin{document}

\lipsum[1]

\vspace{2ex}
\hspace*{\fill}%
\begin{tabularx}{0.9\linewidth}{l@{}c@{}X}
 $E$ is \textbf{open} & $\iff$ & \textit{every} point  is an \textbf{interior point}                                         \\
                      & $\iff$ & $\forall x \in E$, there exists a neighbourhood of $x$ such that each $N$ is disjoint       \\
                      & $\iff$ & $\forall x \in E, x $is not a limit point of $E^c$                                          \\
                      &        & $E^c$ contains all its limit points                                                         \\
\end{tabularx}%
\hspace*{\fill}
\vspace{2ex}

\lipsum[2]

\vspace{2ex}
\hspace*{\fill}%
\begin{tabular}{l@{}c@{}p{3in}}
 $E$ is \textbf{open} & $\iff$ & \textit{every} point  is an \textbf{interior point}                                         \\
                      & $\iff$ & $\forall x \in E$, there exists a neighbourhood of $x$ such that each $N$ is disjoint       \\
                      & $\iff$ & $\forall x \in E, x $is not a limit point of $E^c$                                          \\
                      &        & $E^c$ contains all its limit points                                                         \\
\end{tabular}%
\hspace*{\fill}
\vspace{2ex}

\end{document}

enter image description here

To get rid of the extra space around \iff I've pre/post-pended @{} to the column type to eliminate all intercolumn spacing around that column.

I've provided two approaches to formatting the last column. I'm sure you don't want it running into the right hand margin. If your margins are small enough, everything should work out fine. Nevertheless, you can use the package tabularx which defines a new table environment tabularx allowing you to create an expandable column type X. For this to work correctly, you have to specify the width of the entire table: I've set it to 0.9\linewidth. But it is not necessary to use tabularx. You can manually set the last column to be a paragraph of a prespecified width: I've done this in the second example where I set the column to p{3in}. This isprobably much narrower than you would really want, but I want you to be able to see the effect.

As already mentioned in the comments to your posting, using \bf and its ilk are looked upon disapprovingly. Instead you should use the LaTeX equivalents. See Does it matter if I use \textit or \it, \bfseries or \bf, etc.

While I've maintained your use of \textbf and \textit, if your purpose is for emphasis, it would be better to use \emph for both. Using too many different font styles is not highly recommended. See Why are these commands considered as bad practice?. While I don't follow it to the letter (I mostly make small documents like handouts and quizzes), I think it is good to be familiar with what the general consensus of the community is: particularly when you're writing something that you might want to share with a larger community.

Is there a way to center all of that? Including that text inside the center environment has zero effect — Lemon, Dec 25 '12 at 02:09
Perhaps \begin{tabular}{l@{\;}c@{\;}l} will make the horizontal spacing better but that is just my preference. :) — hpesoj626, Dec 25 '12 at 02:12
There is a high probability that this may be on my part of formatting. But i've noticed that longer sentences gets "cut off" and sent to the second line. For instance, in our example "is disjoint" is sent to the second line. My document set up, I will update — Lemon, Dec 25 '12 at 02:21
Hmm if I were to give more space for my sentences. I sacrifice my centering. There's gotta be a way to get both right? — Lemon, Dec 25 '12 at 02:29
If you really don't want the text to wrap, you might consider some rewording such as so for such that, there is for there exists. — A.Ellett, Dec 25 '12 at 02:40

Alternative to \text inside an align environment

1 Answers1