# Using \scalebox from graphicx with double dollar math mode

I'm making a beamer presentation and I'd need to scale a specific equation. The slide is built using double dollars math environments which allows me to easily align the left and right columns. Problem is one specifically long equation doesn't fit in the slide, so I wanted to shrink it. Using single dollar math mode does work but it breaks the alignment.

\documentclass[mathserif]{beamer}
\usepackage{physics}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\begin{document}
\begin{frame}
\begin{columns}[T]
\begin{column}{0.48\textwidth}
\centering
Osservabile: $N$

Stati: $\ket{\psi_1}, \ket{\psi_2}, \dots \ket{\psi _N}$

Misure: $a_1, a_2, \dots a_N$
\vspace{5mm}

Super-posizione
$$N: \ket{\Psi} = c_1 \ket{\psi_1} + c_2 \ket{\psi_2} \dots c_N \ket{\psi_N}$$%this is the equation I would like to shrink

Collasso della funzione d'onda
$$p(a = a_N) = |c_N|^2 \qquad \ket{\Psi} = \ket{\psi_N}$$
\end{column}
\begin{column}{0.48\textwidth}
\centering
Osservabile: $Gatto$

Stati: $\ket{\omega}, \ket{\xi}$

Misure: $vivo, morto$
\vspace{5mm}

Super-posizione
$$Gatto: \ket{\Gamma} = c_V \ket{\omega} + c_M \ket{\xi}$$

Collasso della funzione d'onda
$$p(a = vivo) = |c_V|^2 \qquad \ket{\Gamma} = \ket{\omega}$$
\end{column}
\end{columns}
\end{frame}
\end{document}


Using

\scalebox{0.8}{$$N: \ket{\Psi} = c_1 \ket{\psi_1} + c_2 \ket{\psi_2} \dots c_N \ket{\psi_N}$$}


Breaks the entire slide and using single dollar math mode works, but breaks the alignment.

I unfortunately cannot make more slides since I have a very strict number of slides limit.

• Start with never using $$ May 28, 2021 at 10:22 • why not \small why do you want to scale? May 28, 2021 at 10:27 • Welcome to TeX.SE! May 28, 2021 at 10:38 • @egreg Why not use $$?
– hola
May 28, 2021 at 13:05

I would consider both comments below question, use nccmath package for \medmath environment for the longest equation and change a width of columns:

\documentclass[mathserif]{beamer}
\usepackage{physics}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{nccmath}

\begin{document}
\begin{frame}
\small
\begin{columns}[T]
\begin{column}{0.5\textwidth}
Osservabile: $N$

Stati: $\ket{\psi_1}, \ket{\psi_2}, \dots \ket{\psi _N}$

Misure: $a_1, a_2, \dots a_N$

Super-posizione
$\medmath N\colon\ket{\Psi} = c_1 \ket{\psi_1} + c_2 \ket{\psi_2} \dots c_N \ket{\psi_N}$%this is the equation I would like to shrink
Collasso della funzione d'onda
$p(a = a_N) = |c_N|^2 \quad \ket{\Psi} = \ket{\psi_N}$
\end{column}
\begin{column}{0.45\textwidth}
Osservabile: \textit{Gatto}

Stati: $\ket{\omega}, \ket{\xi}$

Misure: \textit{vivo, morto}

Super-posizione
$\mathit{Gatto:}\ \ket{\Gamma} = c_V \ket{\omega} + c_M \ket{\xi}$
Collasso della funzione d'onda
$p(a = \mathit{vivo}) = |c_V|^2 \quad \ket{\Gamma} = \ket{\omega}$
\end{column}
\end{columns}
\end{frame}
\end{document}


Personal I prefer left aligned contents in columns.

You might use \resizebox:

  $\resizebox{\displaywidth}{!}{% N: \ket{\Psi} = c_1 \ket{\psi_1} + c_2 \ket{\psi_2} + \dots + c_N \ket{\psi_N}% }  As you see, the resizing takes place inside display math mode. On the other hand, you can use a summation, which is shorter and clearer. All you need is to add a phantom in the corresponding column to balance the size. \documentclass[mathserif]{beamer} \usepackage{braket} \usepackage{graphicx} \begin{document} \begin{frame} \begin{columns}[T] \begin{column}{0.48\textwidth} \centering Osservabile: N Stati: \ket{\psi_1}, \ket{\psi_2}, \dots, \ket{\psi _N} Misure: a_1, a_2, \dots, a_N \medskip Super-posizione \[ % \resizebox{\displaywidth}{!}{% % N: \ket{\Psi} = c_1 \ket{\psi_1} + c_2 \ket{\psi_2} + \dots + c_N \ket{\psi_N}% % } \textstyle N: \ket{\Psi} = \sum\limits_{i=1}^n c_i\ket{\psi_i}$

Collasso della funzione d'onda
$p(a = a_N) = |c_N|^2 \quad \ket{\Psi} = \ket{\psi_N}$
\end{column}

\begin{column}{0.48\textwidth}
\centering

Osservabile: $\mathit{Gatto}$

Stati: $\ket{\omega}, \ket{\xi}$

Misure: $\mathit{vivo}, \mathit{morto}$

\medskip

Super-posizione
$\mathit{Gatto}: \ket{\Gamma} = c_V \ket{\omega} + c_M \ket{\xi} \vphantom{\textstyle\sum\limits_{i=1}^n}$
Collasso della funzione d'onda
$p(a = \mathit{vivo}) = |c_V|^2 \quad \ket{\Gamma} = \ket{\omega}$
\end{column}

\end{columns}

\end{frame}

\end{document}


Note the changes I made: \mathit{Gatto} and not just Gatto; you're missing commas and operation signs around the dots.

Never use $$ with LaTeX. See Why is $...$ preferable to$$ ... ?

About physics and braket, I chose to use the latter, because I find the former awkward and that it forces bad typesetting decisions.

Here are the pictures for the two versions, first with the summation and the phantom. I have no doubt which one I prefer (the first one, of course).