Poster quality math symbols/formulas presentation

Question

I would like to start/end a lecture by displaying a slide where a short symbol or equation is displayed prominently and fills up about half the screen, hopefully to focus the attention of students. For example it could be just $\int f(x)dx$ or just $\sin^2(x)+\cos^2(x)=1$ . I like the equation to be framed (circular or rectangular) and use some contrasting background/foreground colors. Whatever brings the equation out of the page and has a gong quality to it would help. Any references to such files will be appreciated.

Edits:

Math equations in the news. Centering an equation on a cropped image is a useful addition.

Most fonts are scalable, meaning that resolution scales to the available space. Thus, do you mean something like \documentclass{beamer} \usepackage{xcolor,graphicx} \begin{document} \centering \fboxsep=5pt \scalebox{6}{% \colorbox{blue}{\color{white}$\int f(x)dx$}}\bigskip\par \scalebox{2.8}{% \colorbox{blue}{\color{white}$\sin^2(x)+\cos^2(x)=1$}} \end{document} — Steven B. Segletes, Nov 02 '15 at 18:37
@StevenB.Segletes that did not compile, I got an error message, Runaway argument? {\par \end \par \par ! File ended while scanning use of \Gscale@box. \par — Maesumi, Nov 02 '15 at 18:57
It is tough to copy and paste a multi-line code onto a continuous stream comment. But perhaps if you delete the % signs, it should at least compile. (the spaces in the code generally denote a new line) — Steven B. Segletes, Nov 02 '15 at 18:58
The suggestion to convert the problem to a bonus one came from SE software. At that point I added some observations hoping to make the problem attract some interest. The solution is essentially for introductory class use which others may find useful too. I think SE functions well in this regard. — Maesumi, Nov 08 '15 at 03:09
Is it only one slide what you need, or a running header throughout your presentation? — jarnosc, Nov 08 '15 at 21:10
both beamer and lecturer provide examples that you can follow. What is exactly the formatting you expect? At this point, the question is too broad to provide a suitable answer. — jarnosc, Nov 09 '15 at 19:10
@erreka This is not so much a professional lecture given on beamer as it is a single poster for a beginner audience. Its aim is to display a single short formula in attractive way. Important considerations are (a) a single scale number that adjusts what fraction of horizontal page is taken by the formula (b) ability to overlay and center the formula on top of an image (see for example the fundamental theorem of calculus displayed in the last link in the question) (c) ability to crop the image or backdrop to a given size rectangle or circle and adjust its opacity (d) options for a border. — Maesumi, Nov 09 '15 at 20:00
Maesumi, I don't quite understand your additional requirements. Why didn't you edit the question to make it more precise? Do you want the code for a single poster, or a template to generate several slides, in different styles? — jarnosc, Nov 13 '15 at 18:36
@erreka Some objected to editing the question once it has a bounty. Of course I am looking for ideas and templates that other users and I can use to experiment with. It is by nature an open ended question. Thanks for the reply. — Maesumi, Nov 14 '15 at 14:54

Steven B. Segletes · Accepted Answer · 2015-11-10T15:54:15.533

Since no one else has chimed in, I will convert my comment to an answer. As I had said, "most fonts are scalable, meaning that resolution scales to the available space."

The MWE below is a whole beamer slide, and can be seen to retain good resolution to very large font size.

\documentclass{beamer} 
\usepackage{xcolor,graphicx} 
\begin{document}
\begin{frame} 
\centering \fboxsep=5pt 
  \scalebox{6}{\colorbox{blue}{\color{white}$\int f(x)dx$}}\bigskip\par   
  \scalebox{2.8}{\colorbox{blue}{\color{white}$\sin^2(x)+\cos^2(x)=1$}}
  \end{frame} 
\end{document}

Here is an alternative that does four (or five) things:

It makes the large equations in a roman, not sans serif, font, by renewing the \mathfamilydefault and
It set the integral in \displaystyle.
It uses an \fbox rather than \colorbox on the top equation (\fboxsep and \fboxrule are pertinent to the frame offset and thickness), and
It provides different color for frame vs. equation.
In frame 2, it allows specification of the equation height, rather than a scale factor.

Here is the MWE.

\documentclass{beamer} 
\usepackage{xcolor,graphicx,scalerel} 
\renewcommand\mathfamilydefault{\rmdefault}
\fboxsep=4pt \fboxrule 1pt
\begin{document}
\begin{frame}
\centering 
  \scalebox{5}{\color{blue!30!red}\fbox{\color{blue}$\displaystyle\int f(x)dx$}}\bigskip\par   
  \scalebox{2.8}{\colorbox{blue}{\color{white}$\sin^2(x)+\cos^2(x)=1$}} 
\end{frame}
\begin{frame}
\centering
  \scaleto{\color{blue!30!red}\fbox{\color{blue}$\displaystyle\int f(x)dx$}}{150pt}
  150pt high\bigskip\par   
  \scaleto{\colorbox{blue}{\color{white}$\sin^2(x)+\cos^2(x)=1$}}{50pt} 50 pt
\end{frame}
\end{document}

Here is frame 1 with a scale factor applied

And here is frame 2 with a vertical height defined:

Some factors that will improve the solution: making the scalebox automatic, having a more elaborate frame, the font choice could have an effect too, for example the parenthesis in the first equation looks oddly large to me. — Maesumi, Nov 07 '15 at 13:57
For a more semantic alternative, you might try the empheq package for emphasizing equations. — Chris Chudzicki, Nov 10 '15 at 14:56

jarnosc · Answer 2 · 2015-11-15T16:40:39.347

Here is my shot: now with lecturer and without metapost, beamer or pgf/tikz. This code should also work with Plain and ConTeXt mkii.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{lecturer,concmath}

\begin{document}
%
% Original Author: Paul Isambert.
% Date: July 2010.

\setparameter job:
  fullscreen = true
%  font       = \mainfont %define elsewhere

\setparameter slide:
  width = 4cm
  height= 3cm
  top          = 0cm
  bottom       = 1cm
  left         = 1.2cm
  right        = .3cm
  topskip      = 0pt
  background   = black % For the lines between squares.
  foreground   = white
  vpos         = center
  hpos         = ff

\setarea{area1 area2 matharea}
  width = .9cm

\setarea{area1 area2}
  height     = .95cm
  background = white

\setarea{area2}
  vshift     = 1.05cm

\setarea{matharea footnotearea}
  height       = .9cm
  vshift*      = 0pt
  topskip      = .1cm
  baselineskip = .333cm
  vpos         = center

\setarea{matharea}
  background = red
  foreground = white
  hpos       = rr

% Below the slide's text.
\setarea{mainarea}
  hshift     = 1cm
  hshift*    = 0pt
  height     = 2cm
  background = blue

\setarea{footnotearea}
  hshift       = 1cm
  hshift*      = 1cm
  left right   = .3cm
  background   = white
%  font         = \footnotefont %define elsewhere
  hpos         = ff

\setarea{area6 area7}
  width   = .9cm
  hshift* = 0pt
  height  = .4cm

\setarea{area6}
  vshift     = 2.1cm
  background = white

\setarea{area7}
  vshift*    = 0pt
  background = yellow

\slide[A neat showoff]

$$\sum_{k=1}^{n} (2k-1)=n^2$$

\endslide

\end{document}

rcorty · Answer 3 · 2015-11-10T14:48:19.333

4

This strikes me as a good place to use 'blocks' in beamer (I assume you're using beamer).

\documentclass{beamer}
\usetheme{Copenhagen}

\begin{document}

\begin{frame}

    \begin{block}{Food for Thought}
        \Huge
        \begin{align*}
            x^2 + y^2 = 1
        \end{align*}
    \end{block}

\end{frame}

\end{document}

https://www.sharelatex.com/blog/2013/08/16/beamer-series-pt3.html

edited Nov 10 '15 at 14:48

answered Nov 09 '15 at 20:01

rcorty

275
2
7

The braces around \Huge are not necessary, because the block environment is already a scope. – egreg Nov 09 '15 at 23:52
@egreg, thanks for the tip -- I've edited my answer. – rcorty Nov 10 '15 at 14:48

Poster quality math symbols/formulas presentation

3 Answers3