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Dear Dr. Katscher,<br><br>
The example below may work for you. A good reference book is George
Gratzer's Math Into LaTeX.
<a href="http://pctex.com/books.html#mathintolatex" eudora="autourl">http://pctex.com/books.html#mathintolatex<br><br>
</a>Regards,<br>
Lance Carnes<br><br>
<br>
% LaTeX <br>
\documentclass{article}<br>
\usepackage{amsmath}<br><br>
\begin{document}<br><br>
\newcommand{\underarc}[1]{\hbox{\lower4pt\hbox{$\overset#1\smile$}}}<br><br>
Tanto \underarc1.<br><br>
Potenza \underarc2.<br><br>
\end{document}<br><br>
At 07:09 AM 3/18/2005, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite><font face="arial" size=2>I am an
82 years old Austrian historian of mathematics who has written already
134 pages of an English book with LaTex. (Title: <i>The cubic equation in
the Italian renaissance.</i>) Up to know I was able to write all
mathematical formulas I needed, even quite complicated ones, with LaTex.
<br>
</font> <br>
<font face="arial" size=2>But now I have a problem: I describe the
contents of the book <i>L'Algebra </i>published in 1572 by the great
Italian mathematician Rafael Bombelli (1526-1572/73) who was the first to
calculate with imaginary numbers, and to solve the casus irreducibilis
(irreducible case; when in the formula of the solution of the cubic
equation there are complex numbers in the cube roots). <br>
</font> <br>
<font face="arial" size=2>He introduced new symbols for the powers of the
unknown x: He used a small arc and in it he wrote the power. That is for
x he used a small arc with 1 in it. For x² with a 2, for x³ with a 3, and
so on.<br>
</font> <br>
<font face="arial" size=2>I attach the page of his book where he made a
list of these symbols. Tanto means x, potenza x², cubo x³, etc.<br>
</font> <br>
<font face="arial" size=2>I would like to print these symbols, at least
for x, x² and x³, in my book. Now there is a small arc in the
mathematical signs of LaTex, namely \smile. <br>
</font> <br>
<font face="arial" size=2>My problem is now: How do I get a small 1, 2
and 3 <u>above</u> this arc. (Moreover it seems that the sign for \smile
is a bit to high above the level of the line.)<br>
</font> <br>
<font face="arial" size=2>I would be very grateful if you could find a
possibility for me to print Bombelli's signs in LaTex. <br>
</font> <br>
<font face="arial" size=2>I have to confess that I learned to write
mathematical texts in LaTex (I published already a German book with it in
2001 in the Austrian Academy of Sciences), but otherwise I do not know
anything about its technology. Therefore, if you have instructions
for me, please, write them in such a way that I will be able understand
them.<br>
</font> <br>
<br>
<font face="arial" size=2>Thanking you very cordially in advance for your
help, <br>
Friendly greetings from Vienna,<br>
</font> <br>
<font face="arial" size=2>Dr. Friedrich Katscher<br>
</font><br>
_______________________________________________<br>
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<a href="http://tug.org/mailman/listinfo/math-font-discuss" eudora="autourl">http://tug.org/mailman/listinfo/math-font-discuss</a></blockquote>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<br>
--------<br>
Lance Carnes, Personal TeX, Inc.<br>
Voice 415/296-7550, FAX 415/296-7501.
<a href="http://www.pctex.com/" eudora="autourl">http://www.pctex.com</a>
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