# Fullstop after \dots in a formula

Should I put fullstop after \dots in a formula in the end of a sequence?

Consider for example the nonsense formula

$$E=mc^2 + \dots .$$

• @ChristianHupfer How do you know he is using LaTeX? ;) – User Apr 21 '16 at 20:17
• The typographic rules states that ellipsis (since \dots gives “…”) shall not be followed by a period. Hence, the answer is no. – Zoxume Apr 21 '16 at 20:20
• @Zoxume But they are math ellipsis, so a symbol, and not text ellipsis, therefore they are not a punctuation mark – User Apr 21 '16 at 20:25
• You should load amsmath and input your formula as $E=mc^2+\dotsb.$ If you aren't using LaTeX, but plain TeX, use \cdots. – egreg Apr 21 '16 at 20:25
• I would follow them with a dot if they were centered dots as in this case, and probably not follow them with a dot if they were low dots – User Apr 21 '16 at 20:30

Never ever use $$ in LaTeX; see Why is $...$ preferable to$$ ... $$? Of course, loading amsmath is recommended, so the equation can be typed in as \documentclass{article} \usepackage{amsmath} \begin{document} \begin{equation*} E=mc^2+\dots+\frac{GmM}{r^2}+\dotsb. \end{equation*} \end{document}  Note that you have to help LaTeX and tell it what kind of dots you need: “dots for binary operation” in this case. ## Plain TeX answer $$
E=mc^2+\cdots+{GmM\over r^2}+\cdots.
$$\bye  ## AMS-TeX answer \input amstex \documentstyle{amsppt} \document$$
E=mc^2+\dots+\frac{GmM}{r^2}+\dotsb.


\enddocument


## Output

The output is essentially the same in all three cases.

• From a Physicist's point of view I should downvote this wrong equation ;-) – user31729 Apr 21 '16 at 21:34
• @ChristianHupfer I'm a mathematician, I work with dimensionless units. ;-) – egreg Apr 21 '16 at 21:42
• But the 'solution' of the ODE would be wrong anyway, in any units – user31729 Apr 21 '16 at 21:44