This should be an easy one: how do I put in a hyphen?
11'-7\frac{3}{8}''+3'-6\frac{3}{4}''
gives me:
$$11'-7\frac{3}{8}''+3'-6\frac{3}{4}''$$
but what I want is something like this:
You could for example add some tiny spaces like \/ \, \: \; or \quad or even \qquad or \hspace {...}
11'-7\frac{3}{8}\,''+3'-6\frac{3}{4}\,'' gives
$$11'-7\frac{3}{8}\,''+3'-6\frac{3}{4}\,''$$
Let me clarify,
The problem I am having is that TeX renders a hyphen as a subtraction symbol; I actually need a hyphen.
The question I am asking is: eleven feet, seven and three-eights inches plus three feet, six and three-fourths inches.
There is no subtraction involved; the hyphen is standard practice for writing a measurement in feet and inches.
I know...if the USA used the metric system like the rest of the world we wouldn't have to write measurements numbers in these goofy mixed units.
The problem I am having is that TeX renders a hyphen as a subtraction symbol; I actually need a hyphen.
The question I am asking is: eleven feet, seven and three-eights inches plus three feet, six and three-fourths inches.
There is no subtraction involved; the hyphen is standard practice for writing a measurement in feet and inches.
I know...if the USA used the metric system like the rest of the world we wouldn't have to write measurements numbers in these goofy mixed units.
Why use a hyphen at all? Use this $$ \normalsize 11'7\frac{3}{8}" + 3'6\frac{3}{4}" $$ or $$$ \normalsize 11'7\frac{3}{8}" + 3'6\frac{3}{4}" $$$ That is how I leaned Imperial measures - mumbledy-mumbledy years ago. 
I don't understand why the hyphen? (We been using metric for 30 years or more now, and I am still more comfortable with Imperial.
)
EDIT:
The answer btw, for all those people who have never used Imperial measures is $$ 15'2\frac{1}{8}" $$ unless I have forgotten too much...
I don't understand why the hyphen? (We been using metric for 30 years or more now, and I am still more comfortable with Imperial.) EDIT:
The answer btw, for all those people who have never used Imperial measures is $$ 15'2\frac{1}{8}" $$ unless I have forgotten too much...
While the metric system was adopted on US years ago and makes much more sense than the hodge we nevertheless continue to use, if introduced properly (code for it rarely is) other systems make for excellent ways to teach place value, a critical element of early math ed that too many kids in US NEVER get....... I often throw hexadecimal at 6th graders who supposedly have already mastered "standards" to see how well they can handle base16 and it is often ugly 
Though to be fair to Mauno, though I have lived from NY to Alaska I don't recall seeing such notation precisely for this reason. Do you have a source for the standard you are referencing?
I don't have a source actually. I teach the math portion of a construction program at a technical college here in Alaska. But all my textbooks use a hyphen and I'd like my tests to be consistent.
It does cause some confusion when students first see it but I figure they need to get used seeing the hyphen and understand that it does not mean subtraction.
It does cause some confusion when students first see it but I figure they need to get used seeing the hyphen and understand that it does not mean subtraction.
Lol-when I worked construction 35 yrs ago I saw carpenters using hyphens- thought that was cause they didn't know better as foreman was always chewing out journeymen over mistakes it caused.
I live in Anchorage Lael and would feel better about the roofs if you dropped the text
I live in Anchorage Lael and would feel better about the roofs if you dropped the text
Mauno, nothing could be easier than Imperial weights and measures.
1' = 1 foot = 30cms. Therefore 1" = 1 inch = 2.5cms
1 foot = 12 inches therefore 1m = about 39.5 inches.
3 feet = 1 yard and 1,760yard = 1 mile = 1600m.
See, it is simple.
That is length measures, wait until you get to weight then you may experience some difficulties accepting just how simple it really is.
16 ounces to 1 pound. ie 16oz = 1lb
14lbs = 1 stone.
so average weight of adult male would probably be around 10-12 stone about 72-78kilo
Oh, 1lb = about 490grams.
Then we have fluid measures and nothing is easier.
1 cup = about 275ml
2 cups = 1 pint
8 pints = 1 gallon
1 gallon = 4.4 litres.
See, nothing is simpler, it is all so logical and reasonable. Nothing like 1000g = 1 kilogram nonsense.
I must admit, Imperial coinage did throw me when I was younger. 1 penny, then thru'pence, then sixpence 12 pence = 1 shilling, 2 shillings = 1 florin, 5 shillings = 1 crown and 20 shillings to the pound and 1 pound 1 shilling was a guinea, once you got used to it, it was simpler than dollars and cents... mmm maybe not.
We had local variations in terminology, based on English slang of course. A trey was thru'pence, a zac was sixpence, a dinar was a shilling and two-bob = two shillings, 5 bob = a dollar = a crown, a quid = pound, a brick a 5 pound note. We also had farthings a quarter penny, and halfpennies a half a penny and so on.
Understand it all now? See, easy!!!
It is just what you are used to.
1' = 1 foot = 30cms. Therefore 1" = 1 inch = 2.5cms
1 foot = 12 inches therefore 1m = about 39.5 inches.
3 feet = 1 yard and 1,760yard = 1 mile = 1600m.
See, it is simple.
That is length measures, wait until you get to weight then you may experience some difficulties accepting just how simple it really is.
16 ounces to 1 pound. ie 16oz = 1lb
14lbs = 1 stone.
so average weight of adult male would probably be around 10-12 stone about 72-78kilo
Oh, 1lb = about 490grams.
Then we have fluid measures and nothing is easier.
1 cup = about 275ml
2 cups = 1 pint
8 pints = 1 gallon
1 gallon = 4.4 litres.
See, nothing is simpler, it is all so logical and reasonable. Nothing like 1000g = 1 kilogram nonsense.
I must admit, Imperial coinage did throw me when I was younger. 1 penny, then thru'pence, then sixpence 12 pence = 1 shilling, 2 shillings = 1 florin, 5 shillings = 1 crown and 20 shillings to the pound and 1 pound 1 shilling was a guinea, once you got used to it, it was simpler than dollars and cents... mmm maybe not.
We had local variations in terminology, based on English slang of course. A trey was thru'pence, a zac was sixpence, a dinar was a shilling and two-bob = two shillings, 5 bob = a dollar = a crown, a quid = pound, a brick a 5 pound note. We also had farthings a quarter penny, and halfpennies a half a penny and so on.
Understand it all now? See, easy!!!
It is just what you are used to.
Colin,
yes, we have sometimes used feet and inches in examples about different historical measures and units and in fact most cultures have similar local old units of measure - but I had not seen hyphens, I had seen '' and '
Check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnish_units_of_measurement just for fun - for example poronkusema is approximately 7.5 km. A Lappish measurement of distance; the distance a reindeer can travel before needing to stop to urinate. Today used to describe something that is at a very obscure distance away...
Marc, I just checked a bunch architectural drawings from different sources - most often a hyphen is used for expressing a measurement feet and inches. There doesn't seem to be a standard but it is more common than not.
Next time I talk to an architect I will certainly inquire about it....
Next time I talk to an architect I will certainly inquire about it....
Hyphen -
en-dash --
em-dash ---
minus ----
But as you can see, this is not available here:
$$a \- is not a \----$$
en-dash --
em-dash ---
minus ----
But as you can see, this is not available here:
$$a \- is not a \----$$
Hehe - I really must admit that I have never in my lifetime used or seen these hyphen expressions but it was interesting to check how different distributions could create hyphen.
In moodle tex filter has blacklisted \mbox, otherwise \mbox{-} should render hyphen as , \mbox{--} should render en-dash as
, \mbox{---} should render em-dash as
and minus - should look like
OK - we have also \text{} and let's see if it works here:
11'\text{-}7\frac{3}{8}\/''+3'\text{-}6\frac{3}{4}\/'' might render
$$11'\text{-}7\frac{3}{8}\/''+3'\text{-}6\frac{3}{4}\/''$$
In mimetex both \mbox{-} and \text{-} are rendered like minus so if you have mimetex something like
11'\!\raisebox{2}{\tiny-}7\frac{3}{8}\raisebox{-2}''\;+\;3'\!\raisebox{2}{\tiny-}6\frac{3}{4}\raisebox{-2}''
could render something like
(I have no idea about correct spacing of these feet and inches )
Thanks, that does it!
You all are great, I appreciate this resource.
You all are great, I appreciate this resource.
Hello Alll - I work with Lael and we just upgraded to 1.9.12 from 1.9.5 and now the {-} displays as a subtraction symbol instead of a hyphen with the upgrade. Any idea if there is some sort of patch we also need to install. Would take forever to individually edit all the questions in the database that have this functionality. Urge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
$$\normal 11'-7\frac{3}{8}''+3'-6\frac{3}{4}''$$