Mathematical Equations

The main reason people use LaTeX is for its beautiful math rendering.

Inline vs Display

Use single $ for inline math, and double $$ (or equation environments) for display.

Inline: $E=mc^2$ is famous.

Display:

\begin{equation}
\int_{0}^{\infty} e^{-x^2} dx = \frac{\sqrt{\pi}}{2}
\end{equation}

You will almost always need \usepackage{amsmath} in your preamble for advanced math features.