golding@neon.Stanford.EDU (Andy Golding) (06/18/91)
I wrote: > I was wondering what is the preferred way of formatting > numbers in exponential notation, e.g., -1.23e-4 The responses were very helpful. Several people suggested: $-1.23 \times 10^{-4}$ This seems to be the most esthetically pleasing choice. It is easily implemented by: \newcommand\expnum[2]{\mbox{$#1 \times 10^{#2}$}} \expnum{-1.23}{-4} The only drawback is readability of the source file -- it's awkward having \expnum macros sprinkled in it -- but I can certainly live with that. Many thanks to the people who responded. Andy
golding@neon.Stanford.EDU (Andy Golding) (06/18/91)
First I wrote: > I was wondering what is the preferred way of formatting > numbers in exponential notation, e.g., -1.23e-4 Then I wrote: > ... the most esthetically pleasing choice is > > $-1.23 \times 10^{-4}$ > > implemented by: > > \newcommand\expnum[2]{\mbox{$#1 \times 10^{#2}$}} > \expnum{-1.23}{-4} > > The only drawback is readability of the source file -- > it's awkward having \expnum macros sprinkled in it -- > but I can certainly live with that. Now I write: The readability is easily fixed in Plain TeX with: \def\enum#1{\enumparse#1!} \def\enumparse#1e#2!{\mbox{$#1 \times 10^{#2}$}} \enum{-1.23e-4} Now I am truly happy. Thanks to Raymond Chen for this fine solution. Andy