# Align equation with math-mode components

\documentclass[12pt]{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}

\begin{document}

%$$%\begin{split} \theta(\textit{g}_1) * (\theta(\textit{g}_2))^{-1} = \theta(\textit{g}_1) * \theta(\textit{g}_2^{-1}) \\ = \theta(\textit{g}_1 \textit{g}_2^{-1}) \\ = \theta(\textit{g}) \in \textit{G}, where \textit{g} = \textit{g}_1 \textit{g}_2^{-1} %\end{split} %$$

\end{document}

1. I'm trying to align the equal signs but remove the comments gives a '}' missing error
2. Is there a way to avoid all the '$' inside the equation? • welcome to tex.sx. the equation environment is all math, so putting $ signs in the individual lines of the equation is not only not needed, but causing trouble. also, there is no need to specify italic for single letters -- all letters are italic there. and for text, such as "where", you should enter that as \text{ where }; notice the spaces on either side of "where". these features are provided by amsmath; look at the examples in the user's guide: texdoc amsmath. – barbara beeton Feb 15 '17 at 14:27
• – Ethan Bolker Feb 15 '17 at 14:50
• Thx!! That's what I needed. – Athena Widget Feb 15 '17 at 20:01

Like this?

Code is simple:

\documentclass[12pt]{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}

\begin{document}

$$\begin{split} \theta (g_1)\cdot (\theta(g_2))^{-1} & = \theta(g_1)\cdot \theta (g_2^{-1}) \\ & = \theta(g_1\textit{g}_2^{-1}) \\ & = \theta(g) \in G, \text{ where } g = g_1 g_2^{-1} \end{split}$$

\end{document}

• @AthenaWidget, yes, so called math environments are in LaTeX started with \$, \(, \[, (numbered), \begin{equation*} (not numbered). Beside this, there is a plenty others math environments (m,odes), determined by amsmath or other packages. I suggest you to read some introductory text about LaTeX, for example No so short introduction to LaTeX 2e and similar. Also is worth to read en.wikibooks.org/wiki/LaTeX/Mathematics. – Zarko Feb 15 '17 at 20:04
• Thx!! I saw the comment above as well. I'm very new to this. – Athena Widget Feb 15 '17 at 20:07