12.5 A visual comparison of different math setups
In this section we repeatedly show the same sample text, typeset with different font setups for math and text. It assumes amsmath and with pdfTEX also the bm package.
We start by briefly discussing the input used, highlighting points to look at in the examples with blue color. At the beginning of the example file, we define , which is used later. This is followed by the section title, which differs in each example, denoted here with three dots:
In the first paragraph we use a around the first inline formula in order to avoid it pushing the baseline apart. One point to keep track of in the output is the different math alphabets (always used with the letter Q), and you should compare their results— here we use the calligraphic one. Also noteworthy are the different integrals: in some examples they are shown upright.
The first line of the split equation is deliberately long so as to show differences in widths in different font setups; it is a little wider than the space needed with Computer Modern fonts. is marked blue, because it is missing in some OpenType fonts. The output line also shows two further “Q”s, both bold, but one produced with , and the other with from the bm package.
The three symbols U (from core LaTEX) and ≾ and ⋐ (from the American Mathematical
Society symbol set) are all problematical (i.e., missing) in one or the other OpenType font and there are some further “Q”s. This time we have two blackboard bold () and another ordinary bold one. Further down we have marked and v blue, as an example of glyphs that may be hard to distinguish in some font families.
12.5.1 Garalde (Oldstyle) serif fonts with math support
Math support for the Crimson family of fonts designed by Sebastian Kosch is provided by Michael Sharpe through his newtxmath package by passing it the option cochineal. To set up matching text fonts you can use either CrimsonPro or cochineal; see Section 10.4.3 on page 40 for the differences. For Figure 12.2 we used the following simple setup:
12.5.2 Transitional serif fonts with math support
Among the transitional serif typefaces there are many with matching math support. As always, we progress in alphabetical order starting with versions of Baskerville. Figure 12.14 exhibits BaskervilleF, and Figures 12.15 and 12.16 on the next page show Baskervaldx. In all cases the math support was developed by Michael Sharpe.
12.5.3 Didone serif fonts with math support
The majority of LaTEX documents are typeset using Didone fonts simply because LaTEX’s standard fonts, Computer Modern, are Didone designs and because not so long ago these were the only fonts that could be used, if decent math support was needed— the current chapter shows that those days are history.
Figure 12.33 shows our example page using LaTEX’s default setup when using pdfTEX. This is a repeat of Figure 12.1 from the beginning of the section to make it easier to compare it to other fonts in this section.
12.5.4 Slab serif fonts with math support
The Concrete Roman text fonts were designed by Donald Knuth, and matching math fonts were designed by Ulrik Vieth; see Section 12.3.1. They are shown in Figure 12.39, which was produced by adding
to the preamble of the sample document.
Figure 12.40 combines Concrete Roman with Euler Math, designed by Hermann Zapf (1918–2015). This combination was produced with
12.5.5 Sans serif fonts with math support
Figure 12.42 shows the Computer Modern Bright set of fonts (designed by Walter Schmidt (1960–2021)), which is based on the Computer Modern font design. The solution offers the full range of math symbols in normal and bold weights and is activated by loading the cmbright package; see Section 12.3.2.
12.5.6 Historical fonts with math support
Out of the historical fonts covered in this book only Antykwa Torunska comes with dedicated math fonts. Figures 12.51 and 12.52 on the next page have been both set up using the package anttor: the first with option math and the second additionally with options light and condensed.