[Tex/LaTex] “Display math should end with $$” error

errorslistingsmath-mode

I'm trying to write math in a code listing, like so :

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

\begin[mathescape]{lstlisting}
$\infty$
\end{lstlisting}

\end{document}

I get the following error :

! Display math should end with $$.
<to be read again> 
                   \infty 
l.10 $\infty
            $
?

Best Answer

It is an argument to listings not to \begin

                  %%%%%%%%%%%%
\begin{lstlisting}[mathescape]
$\infty$
\end{lstlisting}

The reason that you get that error is that TeX allows you to omit the braces around mandatory arguments, and if so takes the first token. so

\begin[mathescape]{lstlisting}$\infty$

is

\begin{[}mathescape]{lstlisting}$\infty$

Now \begin essentially does \begingroup\csname[\endcsname so this is

\begingroup\[mathescape]{lstlisting}$\infty$

so \[ starts display math and mathescape]{lstlisting} gets typeset as characters in display math mode, then the single $ is met but TeX wants a double $$ to end display math so issues a primitive error.

Basically error detection in a macro processing language is usually more by luck than design.

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