# Unexpected horizontal alignment when using enumitem

Consider the following example:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{mathtools}
\usepackage{enumitem}

\begin{document}

\begin{enumerate}[
label = \arabic*),
itemindent = *
]
\item before
\begin{equation*}
A
\end{equation*}
after
\end{enumerate}

\end{document}


Why are before and after not horizontically aligned and how do I get the alignment?

• Put itemindent = ! or remove that line totally.
– user11232
Nov 10 '14 at 0:41
• Why no use leftmargin=* instead of itemindent=*? Nov 10 '14 at 0:58
• Or itemindent = 0pt.
– cfr
Nov 10 '14 at 1:15
• @cfr itemindent=0pt leaves the items a litte separated of the margin and keeps leftmargin. Use showframe package to see this. Nov 10 '14 at 1:52
• @skpblack What is showframe supposed to demonstrate? Maybe I just didn't understand the question properly but I didn't think the issue was separation from the margin at all.
– cfr
Nov 10 '14 at 1:59

In your case it suffices to remove any specification of itemindent:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{mathtools,enumitem}
\begin{document}

\begin{enumerate}[label = {\arabic*)}]
\item before
\begin{equation*}
A
\end{equation*}
after
\end{enumerate}

\end{document}

• Can you elaborate on why itemindent is not nessecary (and why you put curly brackets around \arabic*))? Nov 11 '14 at 1:25
• @SvendTveskæg: The curly braces is purely habit. Not setting itemindent means it retains it's default value, resulting in a non-hanging-indent or horizontally-flush view (since the label is set in a \llap-fashion. enumitem's use of * or ! is sometimes confusing for me too... Nov 12 '14 at 5:48