How to Align Equations in LaTeX
The fix
To align equations in LaTeX, load \usepackage{amsmath} and use the align environment. Place an & immediately before the character you want aligned (usually =) on every line, and end each line with \\. Use align* to suppress equation numbers.
Example
\usepackage{amsmath}
\begin{align}
(a+b)^2 &= a^2 + 2ab + b^2 \\
&= a^2 + b^2 + 2ab
\end{align}Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between align and align*?
align numbers every line; align* produces no equation numbers. Suppress a single line inside align with \nonumber or \notag before the \\.
My equation is one line — should I use align?
For a single equation use equation (numbered) or \[ ... \] (unnumbered). Use align only when you have multiple lines to align.
How do I align at more than one point?
Columns in align come in (align, gap) pairs, so extra & pairs add alignment points: a &= b &= c aligns at both equals signs.
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