# What is the LaTeX code to put a multiplication symbol into a matplotlib title?

Apologies for a very basic question, but this is something that I always forget, and it's a pain to find with google and the like, so I'm putting it here for everyone's future reference.

As far as I recall, it's $\times$ but that's not working in a matplotlib plot title (perhaps because matplotlib doesn't implement that particular symbol?).

I get something like "A imes B" (with imes in latex font) for the title "A $\times$ B".

• \times or \cdot comes with any basic installation. Please, add an example. – Sigur Apr 27 '15 at 10:23
• I was mostly intending to put it here as a reference, so it could be found more easily. But the problem I have has been solved by @Henri's answer.. so perhaps I'll rephrase the question and google will find it for those seeking 'multiplication symbol'. – drevicko Apr 27 '15 at 11:06

This example works as expected: (note the r in front of the title string)

#!/usr/bin/env python

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

plt.title(r'$A \times B$')
plt.plot([0,1,2])
plt.savefig('test.png')


• yep, it was the missing r – drevicko Apr 27 '15 at 11:07
• Is it just an artifact of the resolution of the screenshot, or is the \times-B spacing really that much tighter that the A-\times spacing in the output? – Paul Gessler Apr 27 '15 at 11:09
• Interesting. I get the same effect. There's a technical name for calculating inter-character spacing when italics and the like are at play. Such typsetting effects are indeed a dark art! – drevicko Apr 27 '15 at 11:18