MATRIX BRACKETS
Choose LaTeX matrix brackets: pmatrix, bmatrix and vmatrix
Examples checked with MathTexLab’s base and AMS math renderer · Display style
The matrix environment determines the surrounding delimiters; it does not change the entries. Choose notation for its mathematical meaning before choosing a visual style.
Select one of six environments
matrix has no surrounding brackets. pmatrix uses
parentheses, bmatrix square brackets and
Bmatrix braces. vmatrix uses single vertical bars;
Vmatrix uses double bars. These names are case-sensitive. In a
full LaTeX document, load amsmath and put the expression in
math mode.
Do not confuse notation with a calculation
Single bars often denote a determinant; double bars often denote a norm. Changing the environment does not calculate either quantity. Here the right side is an explicitly written identity for a two-by-two determinant.
\begin{vmatrix}a&b\\c&d\end{vmatrix}=ad-bcKeep the rows and columns unchanged
Switch the environment selector in the Matrix Generator to compare styles
without rewriting the entries. Use & between columns and
two backslashes between rows when editing copied source. The opening and
closing environment names must match exactly.
Use custom separators in the editor
The visual generator offers its six listed environments. An augmented matrix
with an internal divider instead needs an array expression in
the Equation Editor; the generator does not provide a divider control. See
the main matrix guide for a tested augmented example. Use braces to group a
cell expression, not to simulate an additional row or environment.
Syntax reference
MathJax supported-command reference. The examples above are limited to the features described here; additional packages are not implied.
Continue with LaTeX Matrix Generator.