# Big forward slash in math

I have an equation in from of

a=VERYBIGSTUFF / VERYBIGSTUFF

And I would like to have a "verybig" forward slash in the middle of them. I don't like \frac mode, as I would like to have them left-to-right, not one above the other. I tried also changing the size of the "/" like \text{\LARGE $/$} but this gives a non centered slash, it goes upwards (as a different typography size would do, of course).

How can I insert that big forward slash?

• Is \bigg/ enough? – Manuel Jun 30 '14 at 10:35
• O.o @Manuel I wish all the problems could be solved as fast as you solved mine. Post your comment as an answer, as I didnt find a solution to this googling, so It may be interesting or future lost latex newbies as me. – Ander Biguri Jun 30 '14 at 10:36
• Do you want the slash just lengthened to the proper size, or also thickened in line thickness? – Steven B. Segletes Jun 30 '14 at 10:41

It is also possible to put the equation into the brackets and then use the \middle/ instead of the regular slash.

So, for example, this equation:

\int \limits_{a}^{b} \frac{x}{y} / \int \limits_c^d \frac{x}{y}


would turn into this one:

\left[ \int \limits_{a}^{b} \frac{x}{y} \middle/ \int \limits_c^d \frac{x}{y} \right]


Or if you do not need any visible brackets, you may use the "fake" brackets instead:

\left. \int \limits_{a}^{b} \frac{x}{y} \middle/ \int \limits_c^d \frac{x}{y} \right.


• Wow, I knew about \left and \right, but I somehow never heard about \middle. Thanks! – Elliot Gorokhovsky Nov 27 '16 at 5:48

For example:

\documentclass{article}

\begin{document}
$a=\textrm{\Huge VERYBIGSTUFF} \Biggm/ \textrm{\Huge VERYBIGSTUFF}$

or (compare the spacing)

$a=\textrm{\Huge VERYBIGSTUFF} \Bigg/ \textrm{\Huge VERYBIGSTUFF}$

In a real situation it would look nicer:

\Huge
$a=\textrm{\Huge VERYBIGSTUFF} \Biggm/ \textrm{\Huge VERYBIGSTUFF}$

or (compare the spacing)

$a=\textrm{\Huge VERYBIGSTUFF} \Bigg/ \textrm{\Huge VERYBIGSTUFF}$

\end{document}


• I think I wouldn't use \biggm here. May be its space comes in handy, but it gives / relation spacing which might not be desired. I would use \bigg (or whatever size) and may be add manual space at wish. – Manuel Jun 30 '14 at 10:42
• What is the difference b/w the first and second pair of examples? I can't see any difference in the code but there is an obvious difference in the output. – Kartik Jun 30 '14 at 14:24
• @Kartik In the first pair slash acts as a binary operator, hence the skips around it are bigger. – Przemysław Scherwentke Jun 30 '14 at 14:26

The drawback of this solution is that the line is thickened, but the advantage is that it will work even if the equation gets "really really big".

Here. I vertically auto-stretch a / to make the tall slash of any required height, but add width if necessary so that the overall aspect ratio of the stretched glyph can not exceed 500% (i.e., 5:1).

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{scalerel}
\def\LargeExpression{\frac{~~\displaystyle\frac{x^2 +2x + 3}{g_x}~~}{\displaystyle\frac{x^3}{y+1}}}
\begin{document}
$\stretchleftright[500]{.}{\LargeExpression}{/} 2$
$A \stretchleftright[500]{/}{\LargeExpression}{.}$
\end{document}


• With the fabulous \mathrule you could make a solution that doesn't gets thicker. – Manuel Jun 30 '14 at 10:58

If you want a simple one-line solution, I always use just \left. - \right/ pair:

$$a = \left.VERYBIGSTUFF \right/ VERYBIGSTUFF$$


Example:

$$a = \left.\int \limits_{a}^{b} \frac{x}{y} \right/ \int \limits_c^d \frac{x}{y}$$


Output:

Very simple and efficient. Works well unless you have incredibly big stuff like in the answer of Steven B. Segletes

• Great late answer. As you say, very simple also – Ander Biguri Feb 9 '17 at 17:31
• @AnderBiguri Well, better late than never :) I was surprised to find this 2-year-old question still didn't have the simplest solution! – Dr_Zaszuś Feb 9 '17 at 18:24