20

I would like to typeset the differential of a multivariate function evaluated at a point where two of the variables take precise value. I typeset the "evaluated at" using a vertical bar, at the bottom of which I indicate the point at which it's evaluated.

When it's evaluated at just "one variable", no problem, I would just do:

$\left.
   \frac{\partial f}{\partial x}
 \right|_{y=0}$

But how could I evaluate the derivative at y=0, z=1? I could write it in one line but it becomes quite long. So ideally I would like to "stack" them. At the moment, I use:

$\left.
   \frac{\partial f}{\partial x}
 \right|_{\mathop{z=1}\limits^{y=0}}$

which is very kludgy to say the least. And it doesn't work very nicely: the y=0 is typeset a bit smaller than the z=0.

Any idea on how I could do this properly?

2
  • 1
    I found out that I can achieve a somewhat acceptable result using the "mathtools" package, and the \substack command: $\left.\frac{\partial f}{\partial x} \right|_{\tiny\substack{y=0\\ z=1}}$ The \tiny is optional, and actually throws in a warning that it's not valid in math mode, so it's probably not the exact perfect solution. Also the second line is further down than the vertical bar, but that's a start.
    – Peutch
    Sep 20, 2011 at 10:16
  • The \substack command is actually provided by the amsmath package (in its v2.0 at least).
    – Peutch
    Sep 20, 2011 at 10:20

2 Answers 2

13

You can modify the definition of subarray and \substack to accept an optional argument:

\makeatletter
\renewenvironment{subarray}[2][c]{%
  \if#1c\vcenter\else\vbox\fi\bgroup
  \Let@ \restore@math@cr \default@tag
  \baselineskip\fontdimen10 \scriptfont\tw@
  \advance\baselineskip\fontdimen12 \scriptfont\tw@
  \lineskip\thr@@\fontdimen8 \scriptfont\thr@@
  \lineskiplimit\lineskip
  \ialign\bgroup\ifx c#2\hfil\fi
    $\m@th\scriptstyle##$\hfil\crcr
}{%
  \crcr\egroup\egroup
}
\makeatother
\renewcommand{\substack}[2][c]{\subarray[#1]{c}#2\endsubarray}

Then

$\left.\frac{\partial f}{\partial x}\right|_{\substack[b]{y=0\\z=1}}$

will do. The optional argument default is c, that is, the usual placement. It can be also b, to get "bottom alignment".

0
0

This code uses the \shortstack command in the subscript. I also use \left. before the matrix and \right| after the matrix to fit the vertical bar.

\begin{align}
\left.
\begin{bmatrix}
    0 & 1 & 0 & 0 \\
    0 & 1 & 0 & 0 \\
    0 & 1 & 0 & 0 \\
    0 & 1 & 0 & 0
\end{bmatrix}
\right|_{\shortstack{\tiny $a=0$ \\ \tiny $b=0$ \\ \tiny $c=0$ \\ \tiny $d=0$}}
\end{align}

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