# How to prettyprint a large equation with multiple split points?

I want to prettyprint a multi-line equation. My first thought was to use split inside equation, but it only supports a single insertion point. I tried align, but it right adjusts instead of left adjusting to the alignment point. I considered tabular, but that requires manually calculating the indentations. Other solutions print a number for each line or are not allowed in an equation environment. The effect I'm looking for is something like

A =
{
{B,C,D},
{C,D,E}
}


Thanks.

These test cases of alignat have two problems

1. I get multiple equation numbers for a single equation.

2. I get right alignment unless I add unnatural alignment points

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\begin{document}
\begin{alignat} {6}
D = & \{
\\
&& A
\\
&&& \{
\\
&&&& B
\\
&&&&& \{
\\
&&&&&& C
\\
&&&&& \}
\\
&&& \}
\\
& \}
\end{alignat}

\begin{alignat} {2}
D = &
(
\\
&&
\{
\\
&&&
A, B, C
\\
&&
\},
\\
&&
\{
\\
&&&
D, E, F
\\
&&
\}
\\
&
)
\end{alignat}

\begin{alignat} {6}
D = &
(
\\
&&&
\{
\\
&&&&
A, B, C
\\
&&&
\},
\\
&&&
\{
\\
&&&&
D, E, F
\\
&&&
\}
\\
&
)
\end{alignat}
\end{document}


What I'm looking for is something that is either permitted inside an equation or that generates a single equation number, and that will left adjust at every ampersand rather than at every other ampersand.

As for array, I get unacceptably long indentation if I use, e.g.,

$$\begin{array} {llll} D \defeq & \bigl \{ \\ && A very long variable name \\ && \{ \\ &&& \funcname{i} \maps \set{e^1} \hookrightarrow U^1, \phi^1 \maps U^1 \toiso V^1, \funcname{f}_1 \maps V^1 \to \seqname{C}^2, \\ && \}. \\ && \{ \\ &&& \funcname{f}_0 \maps U^1 \to U^2, \phi^2 \maps U^2 \toiso V^2 \\ && \} \\ & \bigr \} \end{array}$$

• align right adjust if there's no &, which are used to mark the alignment points. – Bernard Mar 12 '18 at 22:16
• There were ampersands. – shmuel Mar 12 '18 at 22:36
• @shmuel align (like all the ams alignments, including alignat as I used below) uses left alignment and right alignment alternating at each & – David Carlisle Mar 12 '18 at 22:58
• Or rather right and left?? – Bernard Mar 12 '18 at 22:59

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{amsmath}

\begin{document}

\begin{alignat*}{2}
A={}&\{\\
&\}
\end{alignat*}

or with a number
\begin{alignedat}{2} A={}&\{\\ &\quad\{B,C,D\},\\ &\quad\{C,D,E\}\\ &\} \end{alignedat}
\end{document}

• I've run some test cases and there are still issues. Please see my edit. Thanks. – shmuel Mar 13 '18 at 19:11

Just use array:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}

\begin{document}

$A= \begin{array}[t]{@{}ll@{}} \{ \\ & \{B,C,D\}, \\ & \{C,D,E\} \\ \} \end{array}$

$A= \begin{array}[t]{@{}l@{}l@{}} \{ \\ & \{B,C,D\}, \\ & \{C,D,E\} \\ \} \end{array}$

\end{document}


• I've run some test cases and there are still issues. Please see my edit. Thanks. – shmuel Mar 13 '18 at 19:11
• @shmuel Not possible. Errors for undefined control sequences. – egreg Mar 13 '18 at 20:38