# How to make the summation sign wider?

I would like to make the following summation sign as wide as the subscript (but not taller) in the display mode:

$\sum_{i_1, i_2,\cdots,i_m=1}^n$

• Please clarify whether you use display or inline math, best by providing a MWE. – TeXnician Apr 23 '17 at 9:06
• By "wide enough", do you mean "as wide as the subscript"? – Torbjørn T. Apr 23 '17 at 9:08
• yes. As wide as the subscript and if not possible as wide as possible. – David R Apr 23 '17 at 9:09
• In display math. I edited the question. – David R Apr 23 '17 at 9:10
• BTW, the ellipsis should be on the base line: \dots instead of \cdots. – Heiko Oberdiek Apr 23 '17 at 9:42

I don't think you want something like this

or

## Code for the first image

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{graphicx}

\newcommand{\widesum}[2]{%
\mathop{\vcenter{\hbox{\dowidesum{#1}{#2}}}}_{#1}^{#2}
}
\newcommand{\dowidesum}[2]{%
\sbox0{$\scriptstyle#1$}%
\dimen0=\wd0
\sbox0{$\scriptstyle#2$}%
\ifdim\wd0>\dimen0 \dimen0=\wd0\fi
\resizebox{\dimen0}{\height}{$\displaystyle\sum$}%
}

\begin{document}

$\widesum{i_1, i_2,\cdots,i_m=1}{n}$

\end{document}


## Code for the second image

Just change \height into !

# Better?

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{graphicx}

\begin{document}

$\sum_{\substack{1\le i_k\le n\\1\le k\le m}}$

\end{document}


You can use xparse embellishments for this.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{xparse}

\ExplSyntaxOn

\box_new:N \l_tmpc_box
\cs_new:Nn \dim_max:nnn
{
\dim_max:nn { \dim_max:nn { #1 } { #2 } } { #3 }
}

\NewDocumentCommand \dowidesum { m m }
{
\hbox_set:Nn \l_tmpa_box { $\mathsurround=0pt\scriptstyle#1$ }
\hbox_set:Nn \l_tmpb_box { $\mathsurround=0pt\scriptstyle#2$ }
\hbox_set:Nn \l_tmpc_box { $\mathsurround=0pt\displaystyle\sum$ }
\dim_set:Nn \l_tmpa_dim
{
\dim_max:nnn
{ \box_wd:N \l_tmpa_box }
{ \box_wd:N \l_tmpb_box }
{ \box_wd:N \l_tmpc_box }
}
\box_resize_to_wd_and_ht:Nnn \l_tmpc_box { \l_tmpa_dim } { \box_ht:N \l_tmpc_box }
\mathop{\box_use:N \l_tmpc_box}\limits\sp{#1}\sb{#2}
}

\ExplSyntaxOff

\NewDocumentCommand \widesum {e{^_}}
{
\dowidesum{#1}{#2}
}

\begin{document}

$\widesum_{i_1, i_2,\cdots,i_m=1}^n$

\end{document}


• The syntax for the e specifier will soon be changing, stay tuned. – egreg Apr 23 '17 at 9:43
• Embellishment??? – Bernard Apr 23 '17 at 10:00
• @Bernard That's what the L3 team calls these e-type arguments. – Henri Menke Apr 23 '17 at 10:08
• @HenriMenke The change to e arguments have been deployed; you should directly define \widesum with argument list e{^_} (and the same replacement text as \dowidesum). – egreg Jun 12 '17 at 21:45
• @egreg This doesn't quite work because _ has catcode 12 inside \ExplSyntaxOn...Off. But I adapted the rest of the syntax. – Henri Menke Jun 12 '17 at 22:18