[Tex/LaTex] Distributing three parts of a page evenly, vertically

formattingpositioningvertical alignment

I have a page that has three big "sections," two items (in enumerate), and a note at the bottom of the page. Is there a way to get them to distribute evenly on the page without having to use all the newlines? I can't seem to find anything on the topic. \desymbol is a predefined macro. Source file is as follows:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\newcommand\desymbol{? }
\begin{document}

\section*{Phase 3}
\begin{enumerate}
\item[1.]
Find the limit and prove using the \desymbol proof.
\begin{equation*}
\lim_{x\to a}(\text{sin}(x)) =
\end{equation*}
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\item[2.]
Find the limit and prove using the \desymbol proof.
\begin{equation*}
\lim_{x\to a}(\text{ln}(x)) =
\end{equation*}
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\\
\end{enumerate}

\hrule\hspace{1mm}\\
\small{This lesson was adapted from a handout by Irena Swanson's MATH111 class at Reed College. The problems are partly my own creation, from her handout, and from D. A. Kouba at University of California, Davis.}

\end{document}

Best Answer

I suggest you use \vspace{\fill} instead of the battery of \\ directives.

Please note that \small is not a macro that takes an argument. If you want to limit the scope of this directive, write {\small ...}, not \small{...}.

I would also place \end{enumerate} directive before, not after, the second \vspace{\fill} directive.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath} % for 'equation*' environment
\newcommand\desymbol{xxx} %??
\begin{document}

\section*{Phase 3}
\begin{enumerate}
\item
Find the limit and prove using the \desymbol\ proof.
\begin{equation*}
\lim_{x\to a}(\text{sin}(x)) =
\end{equation*}
\vspace{\fill}
\item[2.]
Find the limit and prove using the \desymbol\ proof.
\begin{equation*}
\lim_{x\to a}(\text{ln}(x)) =
\end{equation*}
\end{enumerate}
\vspace{\fill}

\hrule
\smallskip\noindent%
{\small This lesson was adapted from a handout by Irena Swanson's MATH111 class at Reed College. The problems are partly my own creation, from her handout, and from D. A. Kouba at University of California, Davis.\par}

\end{document}
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