[OS X TeX] Missing $ inserted in a "variations" environment

[Herbert Schulz]

On Mar 15, 2009, at 9:09 AM, <ewan.Delanoy at math.unicaen.fr> wrote:

>                   Hello all,
>
>
>   I've just encountered the following problem with TeXShop :
>
>  1) Compilation stops with the error message "Missing $ inserted".
>  2) If I insist and press "Enter" twice in the console, it eventually
> compiles completely
> and produces a fine output.
>  3) By trial and error, I see that what causes this behaviour is a
> "variations" array
> (from the variations package) in the middle of my text.
>  3) The line number displayed in the error message, l.259, is not very
> illuminating
> because the source text is as follows
>
> \noindent \makebox[\textwidth][c]{
> \begin{variations}
>   x  & \mI  &   & \alpha& & & 1 & & \beta&  & & 2 & & \pI & \\
>   \filet
> f'(x) & \bg & + & \bb&  & + & \z & -& \bb & & - &\z& + & &\bd \\
> \filet
>  \m{f(x)} & \bg \mI &  \c \h{\pI} & \bb& \mI & \c & \h{-1} & \d \mI  
> & \bb
> & \h{\pI}& \d &\frac{3}{2}& \c
>  & \h{\pI} & \bd \\
> \end{variations}
> }<- Line 259 is here
>
> Can anyone help me on this ?
>
>                                                   TIA,


Howdy,

Since you don't give a complete, compilable example I can't say for  
sure but when I see things like \alpha and \beta I know that they need  
to be in math mode. The documentation places the variations  
environment as displayed equations; i.e,  between $$ and $$ (I'd use \ 
[ and \]) so I believe I'm correct.

By the way, why are you placing the ``equation'' in a box?

Good Luck,

Herb Schulz
(herbs at wideopenwest dot com)