# Numbered letters [duplicate]

I've been looking for a while now, for something I think is very basic. How can I use, for instance, "v0" with the 0 smaller next to the v.

Like this:

I can't find it, mainly because I'm not sure what to call it.

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## marked as duplicate by Qrrbrbirlbel, Mico, Martin Schröder, Przemysław Scherwentke, Benedikt BauerOct 26 '13 at 21:38

Simply $v_0$. Very basic, indeed. –  Przemysław Scherwentke Oct 26 '13 at 19:34
$v_{0}$? Reading a basic guide is recommended; go to ctan.org and type lshort in the search box, you'll get a list of a good introductory guide in several languages. –  egreg Oct 26 '13 at 19:36
is this really about subscripts, or about the use of "old style" numerals. –  barbara beeton Oct 26 '13 at 20:57

If you're thinking of typesetting material in subscript position, you can do so as follows, in TeX's math mode:

$v_{0}$


Conversely, to typeset material in superscript position, you can do so (again in TeX's math mode) as follows:

$a^{2}+b^{2}=c^{2}$


To familiarize yourself some more with LaTeX and, in particular, its ways of handling the typesetting of math material, you may want to study Chapter 3 of Tobias Oetiker's "Not So Short Introduction to LaTeX2e".

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By default the subscript uses \scriptstyle, so if you need a smaller subscript then use \scriptscriptstyle as shown in the given image below.

\documentclass[preview,border=12pt,12pt]{standalone}
\begin{document}
$v_0$ or $v_{\scriptstyle 0}$ or $v_{\scriptscriptstyle 0}$
\end{document}


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I'd recommend:

• $$v_0$$ or $$v_{12}$$ in continuous text (named inline math mode)
• $$v_0$$ for standalone equations (named displaymath mode).
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