# Spacing between several superscripts mboxes

I'm getting a small extra space between two superscripts in separate math objects.

MVE:

\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
zz$\mbox{zz}^{\mbox{a,a,}}$$^{\mbox{a,a}} \end{document}  There's no extra space between math texts zz and zz (marked as red 1), but there is a small one between superscripts mboxes (marked as red 2). How can I get rid of that space? • Would it be possible to construct it as zz\mbox{zz}^{\mbox{a,a,}\mbox{a,a}} orzz\mbox{zz}^{{\mbox{a,a,}}{\mbox{a,a}}}, or are the separate ... math groupings provided by some external program? – Steven B. Segletes Jan 12 '15 at 13:59 • Just to know: why are you splitting it into 2 boxes? – Sigur Jan 12 '15 at 14:02 • It's not normal to use \mbox in a superscript (it prevents the contents being script size) – David Carlisle Jan 12 '15 at 14:04 ## 2 Answers It's \scriptspace \documentclass{article} \begin{document} \showoutput zz\mbox{zz}^{\mbox{a,a,}}$$^{\mbox{a,a}}$

\scriptspace=0pt
zz$\mbox{zz}^{\mbox{a,a,}}$$^{\mbox{a,a}} \end{document}  • The \scriptspace isn't shown by \showoutput, it's just added to the width of the box containing the superscript. Rules 18b, 18c and 18d in Appendix G. – egreg Jan 12 '15 at 14:08 • @egreg yes true I'd just added \showoutput as more or less the first thing I always do to a supplied MWE before running it locally:-) – David Carlisle Jan 12 '15 at 14:14 • Finally!! I couldn't find it. I was looking all the tracing output and didn't understand what is this space. – Linuxss Jan 12 '15 at 14:22 Each ^{...} adds a small horizontal space after the superscript; the width is controlled by the \scriptspace parameter, having a default value of 0.5pt. Example: \documentclass{article} \begin{document} zz\mbox{zz}^{\mbox{a,a,}}$$^{\mbox{a,a,}}$X

\scriptspace=0pt
zz$\mbox{zz}^{\mbox{a,a,}}$$^{\mbox{a,a,}}X \scriptspace=5pt zz\mbox{zz}^{\mbox{a,a,}}$$^{\mbox{a,a,}}$X

\end{document}


See Rules 18b, 18c and 18d in Appendix G of the TeXbook.

How to cope with this depends on your real intentions, which are far from clear.

• @Linuxss Modules 757, 758 and 759 in tex.web. See also section 23.2.1 in TeX by Topic. – egreg Jan 12 '15 at 14:31