[math-font-discuss] How do I write mathematical signs of 1572?

[Lance Carnes]

Dear Dr. Katscher,

The example below may work for you.  A good reference book is George 
Gratzer's Math Into LaTeX.  http://pctex.com/books.html#mathintolatex

Regards,
Lance Carnes


% LaTeX
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}

\begin{document}

\newcommand{\underarc}[1]{\hbox{\lower4pt\hbox{$\overset#1\smile$}}}

Tanto \underarc1.

Potenza \underarc2.

\end{document}

At 07:09 AM 3/18/2005, you wrote:
>I am an 82 years old Austrian historian of mathematics who has written 
>already 134 pages of an English book with LaTex. (Title: The cubic 
>equation in the Italian renaissance.) Up to know I was able to write all 
>mathematical formulas I needed, even quite complicated ones, with LaTex.
>
>But now I have a problem: I describe the contents of the book L'Algebra 
>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).
>
>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.
>
>I attach the page of his book where he made a list of these symbols. Tanto 
>means x, potenza x², cubo x³, etc.
>
>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.
>
>My problem is now: How do I get a small 1, 2 and 3 above this arc. 
>(Moreover it seems that the sign for \smile is a bit to high above the 
>level of the line.)
>
>I would be very grateful if you could find a possibility for me to print 
>Bombelli's signs in LaTex.
>
>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.
>
>
>Thanking you very cordially in advance for your help,
>Friendly greetings from Vienna,
>
>Dr. Friedrich Katscher
>
>_______________________________________________
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--------
Lance Carnes, Personal TeX, Inc.
Voice 415/296-7550, FAX 415/296-7501.  http://www.pctex.com  
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