Direct answer
KaTeX is the fastest way to render math in markdown documents. It works well for formulas, fractions, derivatives, limits, summations, and physics notation. Use inline math with single dollar signs and block math with double dollar signs. Markups renders the equations live in the preview and in the exported PDF and HTML.
Inline examples
Energy equation: $E = mc^2$
Quadratic formula: $x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}$
Probability: $P(A \mid B)$
Derivative: $\frac{d}{dx} f(x)$
Integral: $\int_0^1 x^2 \, dx$
Block examples
$$
\frac{d}{dx} e^x = e^x
$$
$$
\int_{0}^{1} x^2 \, dx = \frac{1}{3}
$$
$$
\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n^2} = \frac{\pi^2}{6}
$$
Physics and linear algebra
$$
\nabla \cdot \vec{E} = \frac{\rho}{\varepsilon_0}
$$
$$
\mathbf{A} \mathbf{x} = \lambda \mathbf{x}
$$
$$
\det(\mathbf{A} - \lambda \mathbf{I}) = 0
$$
Best practices for math-heavy articles
- Introduce notation once before using it repeatedly.
- Use inline math for short expressions and block math for proofs or derivations.
- Break long derivations into numbered steps so readers do not lose context.
- Pair formulas with one plain-language sentence explaining intent.
- Keep math density moderate — too many equations on a page hurts readability.
- Validate that every equation renders in the live preview before exporting.
Clear explanation plus correct notation is what makes technical content easier to cite and reuse.
Where to use math in your writing
Math blocks are not just for academic papers. They show up in:
- Engineering blog posts and tutorials that include a derivation.
- API documentation that uses formulas (rate limits, scoring, etc.).
- Runbooks and incident postmortems that quantify impact.
- Data science and ML write-ups that walk through a model.
- Study notes and lecture material for math and physics courses.
- Internal knowledge base articles that explain pricing formulas.
For the broader markdown patterns, see the markdown cheatsheet.
FAQ
How do I write math in markdown? Use inline math with $...$ and block
math with $$...$$. Markups renders the equations with KaTeX.
Should I use inline or block math? Use inline math for short expressions and block math for proofs, derivations, or anything you want to stand out.
Can I export math to PDF? Yes. The PDF export renders equations as part of the page, so they appear in the printable output.
Does the HTML export keep the math? Yes. The standalone HTML export preserves the rendered equations.
Why use Markups for math? Because it previews math immediately and keeps the editing flow in one browser tab.
Try these examples in Markups
Open markups.dev, paste any of the examples above, and watch the equations render in real time. When the document is ready, export to PDF, HTML, or Markdown in one click. The editor is free for unlimited math content.
For more, see the markdown cheatsheet or Mermaid examples.