In an align environment in the amsmath package, sometimes an exponent like e^{...} is too small and a fraction like \frac{1}{2} is too small. I can use \tfrac to make fractions smaller, but for some reason there is no way to make them bigger. Whenever I've tried to use \hfrac it doesn't work. Is there also a way to make exponents larger in a similar way?
[Tex/LaTex] How to make fractions and exponents larger
amsmathfractionsmath-mode
Related Solutions
Another possibility are the \mathlarger and \mathsmaller commands provided by the relsize package.
These can be iterated to make bigger and bigger
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{relsize}
\begin{document}
\[
x+y=z \leftrightarrow \mathlarger{\mathlarger{\mathlarger{(x+y=z)}}}
\]
\end{document}
It doesn't always work well with large operators, though.
As illustrated in the highest-voted answer to Align denominator of fraction to left, \hfill will do the trick.
Here's a macro, \myfrac, that puts the \hfill either in the numerator or the denominator as necessary
\newcommand{\myfrac}[2]{%
\setbox0\hbox{$#1$} % put the numerator in box0
\dimen0=\wd0 % measure box0
\setbox1\hbox{$#2$} % put the denominator in box1
\dimen1=\wd1 % measure box1
\ifdim\wd0<\wd1 % if box0 is narrower than box1
\dfrac{#1\hfill}{#2} % put \hfill in the numerator
\else
\dfrac{#1}{#2\hfill} % otherwise put \hfill in the denominator
\fi
}
Complete MWE
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\newcommand{\myfrac}[2]{%
\setbox0\hbox{$#1$} % put the numerator in box0
\dimen0=\wd0 % measure box0
\setbox1\hbox{$#2$} % put the denominator in box1
\dimen1=\wd1 % measure box1
\ifdim\wd0<\wd1 % if box0 is narrower than box1
\dfrac{#1\hfill}{#2} % put \hfill in the numerator
\else
\dfrac{#1}{#2\hfill} % otherwise put \hfill in the denominator
\fi
}
\begin{document}
\begin{itemize}
\item[Original] $\dfrac{(x_i - x)^{N+1}}{(N+1)!}$
\item[Test 1] $\myfrac{(x_i - x)^{N+1}}{(N+1)!}$
\item[Test 2] $\myfrac{(N+1)!}{(x_i - x)^{N+1}}$
\end{itemize}
\end{document}
Best Answer
superscripts are in scriptstyle so in theory you could do
to use a textstyle rather than scriptstyle superscript, but really, I wouldn't.
If you have a large expression here it is better to use a different syntax
which naturally sets the expression in textstyle