Set equation font size in LaTeX

In this tutorial, you will learn how to set the font size of an equation in LaTeX with different methods.

LaTeX provides different commands for different font sizes which are:

• \small
• \footnotesize
• \scriptsize
• \scriptscriptstyle

You have to use these commands before the equation environment.

\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}

\centering Normal size:
\begin{equation}
  x^2 + y^3 = m
\end{equation}
\centering With \verb|\small|:
\begin{equation}
  \small
  x^2 + y^3 = m
\end{equation}
\centering With \verb|\footnotesize|:
\begin{equation}
  \footnotesize
  x^2 + y^3 = m
\end{equation}
\centering With \verb|\scriptsize|:
\begin{equation}
  \scriptsize
  x^2 + y^3 = m
\end{equation}
\centering With \verb|\scriptscriptstyle|
\begin{equation}
  \scriptscriptstyle
  x^2 + y^3 = m
\end{equation}

\end{document}

Output:

Set equation size manually with \scalebox

You can also set the font size of an equation by the <factor> of the original (normal) size with the \scalebox{<factor>}{<expression>} command. But in this case, you have to load the graphic package.

Like, if you want to set the font size to 50% of the original size, then you have to write this \scalebox{0.5}{<expression>}.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\begin{document}

\centering With \verb|\scalebox{2.0}|:
\begin{equation}
  \scalebox{2}{%
    $x^2 + y^3 = m$
  }
\end{equation}
\centering With \verb|\scalebox{1.5}|:
\begin{equation}
  \scalebox{1.5}{%
    $x^2 + y^3 = m$
  }
\end{equation}
\centering Normal size:
\begin{equation}
    x^2 + y^3 = m
\end{equation}
\centering With \verb|\scalebox{0.5}|:
\begin{equation}
  \scalebox{0.5}{%
    $x^2 + y^3 = m$
  }
\end{equation}

\end{document}

Output: