# Show LaTeX syntax in “How to Format” box

I think you need to show the syntax for LaTeX formatting in the "How to Format" box when writing a question or answer. I just mean showing how to surround in $ or $$, not how to actually write LaTeX formulas. (But maybe there could be a link to an external LaTeX syntax help page too?) Edit Something like suggested here. Here's a mockup: - I suppose this could be edited appropriately. – Ｊ. Ｍ. Nov 16 '10 at 16:03 ## 2 Answers Completed, but I said MathJaX instead of LaTeX -- that didn't seem correct to me. I wasn't sure what to use as the "MathJax help" link; the meta faq question is a bit out of date so I picked http://www.mathjax.org/demos/ - Thank you, this is most helpful. Maybe this should also have at least some description of MathJax as well? – Ｊ. Ｍ. Nov 19 '10 at 6:29 Thanks, the help box is almost perfect, but MathJax will render the $\sin^2 \theta\$ in it, so what the user actually sees is "MathJax equation sin² θ", which isn't correct. It has to be wrapped between <code/> tags or <span class="tex2jax_ignore"/> tags to avoid MathJax parsing it. –  KennyTM Nov 19 '10 at 13:07
thanks Jeff, but as KennyTM points out, the sample MathJax actually gets rendered by MathJax, thus making it useless! –  Kip Nov 20 '10 at 3:16
@Kip, @Kenny: looks to be fixed now. Thanks @Jeff (or whoever did the tweaking.) –  Ｊ. Ｍ. Nov 20 '10 at 10:01

Yes, I am currently trying to find out how to do this and can't. I am going to post an answer in raw format and hope that someone edits it for me :)

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i'm not sure i understand... you're trying to find out how to do what? use latex in posts? the FAQ links to this guide: meta.math.stackexchange.com/questions/107/… –  Kip Nov 18 '10 at 20:38
The links should be much, much more obvious, took me a while to see that. –  Callum Rogers Nov 19 '10 at 11:28