I want to typeset a number of equations with some alignment constraints, but I want to partially ignore them on certain lines. An example formatted text might look like the following when it's formatted
really really really long equation = a
a = b b = c
c = d d = e
where the equals signs in each column are aligned, but the top line ignores the first column of alignment. This is essentially the same question as Ignoring alignment for certain lines in an alignat environment, but that question wasn't answered satisfactorily.
The two naive ways both produce undesirable results.
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\begin{document}
\begin{align*}
&& \text{really really really long equation} &= a \\
a &= b & b &= c
\end{align*}
or
\begin{align*}
\text{really really really long equation} &= a \\
a &= b & b &= c
\end{align*}
\end{document}
\documentclass{...}
and ending with\end{document}
.\llap{...}
possibly combined with$...$
as the contents of\llap
is text mode add to the firstalign*
attempt.\usepackage{mathtools}
you can use\mathllap{...}
. it would work nicely in this situation.amsmath
that come frommathtools
. however, the much-needed upgrade ofamsmath
has been put off repeatedly, and is not yet firmly scheduled. other priorities have arisen, and the ams staff is not large enough to handle all the demands.