Subscripts & superscripts (LaTeX2e unofficial reference manual (November 2018))

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### 16.1 Subscripts & superscripts

Synopsis (in math mode or display math mode), one of:

    base^exp
    base^{exp}

or, one of:

    base_exp
    base_{exp}

Make exp appear as a superscript of base (with the caret character, `^`) or a subscript (with underscore, `_`).

In this example the `0`’s and `1`’s are subscripts while the `2`’s are superscripts.

    \( (x_0+x_1)^2 \leq (x_0)^2+(x_1)^2 \)

To have the subscript or superscript contain more than one character, surround the expression with curly braces, as in `e^{-2x}`. This example’s fourth line shows curly braces used to group an expression for the exponent.

    \begin{displaymath}
      (3^3)^3=27^3=19\,683
      \qquad
      3^{(3^3)}=3^{27}=7\,625\,597\,484\,987
    \end{displaymath}

LaTeX knows how to handle a superscript on a superscript, or a subscript on a subscript, or supers on subs, or subs on supers. So, expressions such as `e^{x^2}` and `x_{i_0}` give correct output. Note the use in those expressions of curly braces to give the base a determined exp. If you enter `\(3^3^3\)` then you get ‘`Double superscript`’.

LaTeX does the right thing when something has both a subscript and a superscript. In this example the integral has both. They come out in the correct place without any author intervention.

    \begin{displaymath}
      \int_{x=a}^b f'(x)\,dx = f(b)-f(a)
    \end{displaymath}

Note the parentheses around `x=a` to make the entire expression a subscript.

To put a superscript or subscript before a symbol, use a construct like `{}_t K^2`. The empty curly braces `{}` give the subscript something to attach to and keeps it from accidentally attaching to a prior symbols.

Using the subscript or superscript character outside of math mode or display math mode, as in `the expression x^2`, will get you the error ‘`Missing $ inserted`’.

A common reason to want subscripts outside of a mathematics mode is to typeset chemical formulas. There are packages for that, such as `mhchem`; see CTAN.

Unofficial LaTeX2e reference manual