# [math] hypen instead of minus

Hi folks,

i have a variable A-10. Unfortunately, A-10 minus X can't be distinguished from A minus 10 minus X with the formula editor.

Is it possible to add a dash of half the width of the minus character, so it looks like a hyphen between two characters?

Thank you very much in advance!

Oida

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Did I understand correctly that A-10 should be treated as the name of a variable?
Why? Choosing names we should (factually must) obey a reasonable syntax whether explicitly defined or taken as tacitly approved by lots of examples. Never in my life I saw something like A-10 seriously claimed to be a name in a mathematical context.
Yes. Recent treatment of "sheet-names" and of designators for some additional objects in Office software seem to break the rule. That's bad, but we shouldn't accept it as a new standard, but start to refuse to call tthese designators "names".
If I had something imposing the idea on me to name it A-10, I would probably resort to A_10.

( 2021-02-23 12:24:46 +0100 )edit

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Try with ‑ (U+2011, non-breaking hyphen).

EDIT:

Tested with LibreOffice 6.4.7.2 (x86); OS: Windows 6.1.

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I don't recommend it. U+2011 is in principle looking the same as U+002D (because it is a conditional hyphen).

Another reason is you are in Math where formatting rules like line break and text flow do not apply. There is then no reason to make a difference between MINUS-HYPHEN and NON-BREAKING HYPHEN.

( 2021-02-23 18:39:09 +0100 )edit

Unicode block "General Punctuation" starting at U+2000 contains many "dashes" but they are wider than U+002D HYPHEN MINUS:

• U+2010 HYPHEN (probably looking exactly the same as U+002D)
• U+2012 FIGURE DASH, as wide as a digit

The others are even wider.

You could have a try with U+2043 BULLET HYPHEN (which has not the "bullet" property despite its name but I think this is irrelevant in your case) but it is usually thicker than common hyphens.

I don't know of a character being officially narrower than a hyphen.

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Asked: 2021-02-22 20:28:10 +0100

Seen: 42 times

Last updated: Feb 23