1

I am using below equation in my document. By default, it is getting aligned at the center. I want to left-align the equation -- only this equation, not all equations in the document. Can anybody tell me how it can be done?

\begin{equation}
d_j =
  \begin{cases}
    newval_i,  & \quad i = j\\
    randval_k, & \quad k = j\\
    bestval_j, & \quad \text{otherwise}
  \end{cases}
\end{equation}
6
  • Should all equations be left-aligned, or just this one?
    – Mico
    Apr 29, 2017 at 16:10
  • unrelated to alignment but that should be \mathit{newval}_i and similarly the other names, never use the default math italic for multi-letter words. Apr 29, 2017 at 16:19
  • @Mico only this one
    – Atinesh
    Apr 29, 2017 at 16:37
  • 1
    @Atinesh - The fact that you only wish to left-align a single equation is very important, and unfortunately it's something that wasn't mentioned in your posting. It's not too late, though, to edit your posting and to clarify what it is you're trying to achieve. Go ahead.
    – Mico
    Apr 29, 2017 at 16:47
  • 1
    @Bobyandbob I have already gone through that post, It didn't solve my problem.
    – Atinesh
    Apr 29, 2017 at 17:00

1 Answer 1

3

You can do that nesting your equations in a fleqn environment (from nccmath). This environment accepts an optional argument for the distance from the left margin ( 0 pt by default):

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[showframe]{geometry}
\usepackage{mathtools, nccmath}

\begin{document}

\begin{equation}
d_j =
  \begin{cases}
    \text{newval}_i, & \quad i = j\\
    \text{randval}_k, & \quad k = j\\
    \text{bestval}_j, & \quad \text{otherwise}
  \end{cases}
\end{equation}

\begin{fleqn}
\noindent\texttt{With fleqn: }
\begin{equation}
d_j =
  \begin{cases}
    \text{newval}_i, & \quad i = j\\
    \text{randval}_k, & \quad k = j\\
    \text{bestval}_j, & \quad \text{otherwise}
  \end{cases}
\end{equation}
\end{fleqn}

\begin{fleqn}[3em]
\noindent\texttt{With fleqn and optional argument [3em]: }
\begin{equation}
d_j =
  \begin{cases}
    \text{newval}_i, & \quad i = j\\
    \text{randval}_k, & \quad k = j\\
    \text{bestval}_j, & \quad \text{otherwise}
  \end{cases}
\end{equation}
\end{fleqn}

    \end{document} 

enter image description here

2
  • +1. Nice use of the nccmath package!
    – Mico
    Apr 29, 2017 at 20:04
  • 1
    Thanks, @Mico. The package has many useful little things – the main point for me being medium-sized maths, intermediate between display style and text style for fractions, integrals, matrices and so on.
    – Bernard
    Apr 29, 2017 at 20:16

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