Text spreading out in multicols

Question

Minimal working example:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[bitstream-charter]{mathdesign}
\usepackage{multicol}
\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{lettrine}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{lipsum}
\usepackage[margin=0.9in]{geometry}
\setlength{\columnsep}{0.8cm}

\title{\Huge Bla bla bla}
\author{\Large John Smith}
\date{}

\fancypagestyle{amstyle}
{
    \fancyhf{}
    \renewcommand{\headrulewidth}{0pt}
    \fancyfoot[C]{\textbf{Bla bla bla}}
    \fancyfoot[R]{\textbf{Bla bla bla}}
    \fancyfoot[L]{\textbf{\thepage}}
}

\begin{document}
\maketitle
\thispagestyle{amstyle}

\begin{multicols*}{2}
\lettrine[lines=5]{M}{} \lipsum[1-10] 
$$\boxed{fancy equation}$$
\textit{Important sentence here}
\columnbreak
% image as large as 1 multicols \includegraphics[scale=1]{ams-add.pdf}
\end{multicols*}

\end{document}

The problem is the boxed equation at the end and sentence are spread out. I am unable to resolve the issue. I'd like the left column to terminate normally, and not add extra space in between.

Don't use $$ (although it's not the source of the problem), see Why is \[ … \] preferable to $$?. — egreg, Mar 04 '15 at 21:33
@egreg Yes, I usually use \newcommand{\be}{\begin{equation}} and so forth, and then use \be. — JamalS, Mar 04 '15 at 21:36
@egreg But doesn't it execute the same command? I just use \be so I don't have to type the whole thing, and \begin{...} takes space (in the source). — JamalS, Mar 04 '15 at 21:43

David Carlisle · Accepted Answer · 2015-03-04T21:30:29.930

You can force the column short with \vspace*{\fill}\null

enter image description here

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[bitstream-charter]{mathdesign}
\usepackage{multicol}
\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{lettrine}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{lipsum}
\usepackage[margin=0.9in]{geometry}
\setlength{\columnsep}{0.8cm}

\title{Bla bla bla}
\author{John Smith}
\date{}

\fancypagestyle{amstyle}
{
    \fancyhf{}
    \renewcommand{\headrulewidth}{0pt}
    \fancyfoot[C]{\textbf{Bla bla bla}}
    \fancyfoot[R]{\textbf{Bla bla bla}}
    \fancyfoot[L]{\textbf{\thepage}}
}

\begin{document}
\maketitle
\thispagestyle{amstyle}

\begin{multicols*}{2}
\lettrine[lines=5]{M}{} \lipsum[1-10] 
\[\boxed{fancy equation}\]
\textit{Important sentence here}

\vspace*{\fill}
\null
\columnbreak
% image as large as 1 multicols \includegraphics[scale=1]{ams-add.pdf}
\end{multicols*}

\end{document}

Text spreading out in multicols

1 Answers1