# proof format 2 columns [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate:
How to correctly format (and align) a LaTeX proof?

In my proofs I would like to have justifications of each step to the side of the numerical manipulation. For instance consider what I have been doing:

\begin{align*}
\lvert p-q \rvert &= \sqrt{(p-q)^2} \text{      by definition of square root}\\
&=\sqrt{p^2 -2pq +q^2}\text{        by multiplication}\\
&=\sqrt{p^2-2pq+q^2 +2pq -2pq} \text{by the additive identity}\\
&=\sqrt{p^2+2pq+q^2 -4pq}\text{     by grouping like terms}\\
&=\sqrt{(p+q)^2 -4n}\text{          by the distributive law}
\end{align*}


This is messy and more time consuming.

1. How can I achieve my justifications in some kind of defined format?
2. What are other best practices?

## marked as duplicate by Andrew Swann, Gonzalo Medina, percusse, Paul Gaborit, MenschOct 28 '12 at 22:40

You can also use the alignat math environment as follows:

\documentclass[letterpaper]{article}
\usepackage{amsmath,amssymb}
\newcommand{\justif}[2]{&{#1}&\text{#2}}
\begin{document}
\begin{alignat*}{2}
\lvert p-q\rvert &=\sqrt{(p-q)^2}               &\quad &\text{by definition of square root}\\
&=\sqrt{p^2 -2pq +q^2}         &\quad &\text{by multiplication}\\
&=\sqrt{p^2+2pq+q^2 -4pq}      &\quad &\text{by grouping like terms}\\
&=\sqrt{(p+q)^2 -4n}           &\quad &\text{by the distributive law}
\end{alignat*}
%--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\begin{alignat*}{2}
\lvert p-q\rvert &=\sqrt{(p-q)^2}               \justif{\quad}{by definition of square root}\\
&=\sqrt{p^2+2pq+q^2 -4pq}      \justif{\quad}{by grouping like terms}\\
&=\sqrt{(p+q)^2 -4n}           \justif{\quad}{by the distributive law}
\end{alignat*}
\end{document}


Increase the space between the math expression and text by adjusting the quad part. Note @egreg suggested an intuitive way of simplifying the input of the comments by a using \justif command.

• You only need one of the first &\quad& incantation; on subsequent lines && will be sufficient – Andrew Swann May 14 '13 at 8:29

In such a situation I personally use an align with multiple "equations" on the same line:

\begin{align*}
(p-q) &= \sqrt{(p-q)^2} & & \text{by definition of square root}\\
&=\sqrt{p^2 -2pq +q^2} & & \text{by multiplication}\\
&=\sqrt{p^2-2pq+q^2 +2pq -2pq} & & \text{by the additive identity}\\
&=\sqrt{p^2+2pq+q^2 -4pq} & & \text{by grouping like terms}\\
&=\sqrt{(p+q)^2 -4n} & & \text{by the distributive law}
\end{align*}

• Possibly adding a personal command (see my comment to Gonzalo's answer). – egreg Oct 28 '12 at 22:22