# How can I make LaTeX ignore certain math symbols in math mode?

I have the following equation:

<trigger threshold> = average - (<trigger fraction> * average)


I want to print this in math mode in a very specific way: <trigger threshold> and <trigger fraction> need to be in a fixed-width font. They should appear exactly as they do in this paragraph. I can't figure out how to get LaTeX to ignore < and > and still print in a fixed-width font. Things I've tried:

$\mathtt{<trigger threshold>} = \mathrm{average} - (\mathtt{<trigger fraction>} * \mathrm{average})$


The above doesn't work for 2 reasons: the < and > symbols are interpreted as less than and greater than, and also, there is no space between the words "trigger" and "threshold". Another attempt:

$\mathtt{\mathrm{<trigger threshold>}} = \mathrm{average} - (\mathtt{\mathrm{<trigger fraction>}} * \mathrm{average})$


Here, trigger threshold doesn't appear with a space and also doesn't appear in a fixed-width font. I've played around with a lot of things, but I just can't get this. I'm guessing I may have to resort to a package to do this, but I'm not sure where to look. Does anyone know how to accomplish this?

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You could just use a text-version of "tt", called \texttt:

\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
$\texttt{<trigger threshold>} = \mathrm{average} - (\texttt{<trigger fraction>} \times \mathrm{average})$
\end{document}


In the above example I've included both, just to show you that you can mix and match what you want. However, if you're interested in such things on a more global scale, it's best to define something like



and then use

\variable{<trigger threshold>} = \mathrm{average} - (\variable{<trigger fraction>} \times \mathrm{average})


See Consistent typography. If you're not using a macro-form, a plain short-hand \verb also suffices.

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Nice, that worked! I didn't even think that \texttt would work in math mode, so I didn't try it. Thanks. –  Geoff Oct 31 '12 at 20:26