# Shorthand for \begin{eqnarray*} … \end{eqnarray*}

To align a long string of symbols I usually use

\begin{eqnarray*} ... \end{eqnarray*}.


I would like to know if there is any convenient alternative to this environment. For example, I know that

$...$


can replace

$$...$$ and is more viable than

$$...$$.


What I am after is a simple alternative such that it is to

\begin{eqnarray*} ... \end{eqnarray*}


what

$...$


is to

$$...$$.


Actually, $...$ is not a replacement or shorthand for $$...$$. It's preferred due to improved vertical spacing; see Why is $$ preferable to $$$$?.

If shorthand is what you're after, then you could use \be...\ee as an alternative to \begin{eqnarray*}...\end{eqnarray*} where

\newcommand{\ba}{\begin{eqnarray*}}
\newcommand{\ea}{\end{eqnarray*}}


I would not recommend it though.

Perhaps you're stuck on the notation used by eqnarray:

... & .. & ... \\
... & .. & ...


In that sense, you may be interested in using the following alternative that combines the preferred notation $...$ with the use of eqnarray's double-&:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath,array}

\newcommand{\ba}{% "\begin{eqnarray*}"
}

\begin{document}

\begin{align*}
f(x) &= ax^2 + bx + c \\
g(x) &= ax^2 + bx + c
\end{align*}

\ba
f(x) &=& ax^2 + bx + c \\
g(x) &=& ax^2 + bx + c
\ea

\end{document}