math-unicode

math-unicode

When emitting mathematical notation in a terminal coding agent (Claude Code, Codex CLI, or similar), always use Unicode glyphs inline — never wrap math in $…$, \(...\), or $$...$$. These terminals do not render LaTeX; raw delimiters appear as plain dollar signs and reduce readability.

When this skill applies

Two conditions, both required: the response carries mathematical notation, and the surface it lands on does not render LaTeX.

Surfaces that do not render LaTeX (apply the skill):

• Claude Code, Codex CLI, and other terminal or TUI coding agents
• Anything read through SSH, tmux, a pager, or a CI log

Surfaces that render math natively (do not apply the skill):

• ChatGPT and Codex on desktop and web, where math already renders
• Notebooks, and any target consumed by KaTeX or MathJax

No host exposes a per-surface predicate to a skill today, so this boundary is a judgement the model makes from its own context. If you cannot tell, and the session is a terminal coding agent, apply the skill.

Triggers (use Unicode math):

• Equations, formulas, derivations
• Filter conditions, set-builder notation
• Statistics: probabilities, expectations, distributions
• Calculus, linear algebra, logic
• Counts, ratios, fractions, drops where precision matters

Skip (do not transform):

• The user explicitly asks for LaTeX or a .tex file
• Math inside fenced code blocks (preserve source syntax)
• Strings being passed to a system that consumes LaTeX (KaTeX MCP, etc.)

Glyph cheatsheet

Greek

lowercase   α β γ δ ε ζ η θ ι κ λ μ ν ξ ο π ρ σ τ υ φ χ ψ ω
uppercase   Α Β Γ Δ Ε Ζ Η Θ Ι Κ Λ Μ Ν Ξ Ο Π Ρ Σ Τ Υ Φ Χ Ψ Ω
variants    ϵ ϑ ϕ ϖ ϱ ς

Operators

arithmetic     + − × ÷ ± ∓ · ∗ ⋅ ∘ ⊕ ⊖ ⊗ ⊘ ⊙
big            ∑ ∏ ∐ ∫ ∬ ∭
roots          √ ∛ ∜
calculus       ∂ ∇ Δ ∆
constants      ∞ ∅

Relations

equality       =  ≠  ≈  ≅  ≡  ≜  ≝  ≐  ∝  ∼  ≃  ≢
order          <  >  ≤  ≥  ⊴  ⊵
set            ∈ ∉ ∋ ∌  ⊂ ⊃ ⊆ ⊇ ⊊ ⊋  ⊏ ⊐ ⊑ ⊒
set ops        ∪ ∩ ⊎ ⊔ ⊓        (set difference: A \ B)