[Tex/LaTex] How to move the date from right (default) to left side in a letter in LaTeX

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I wanted to prepare a cover letter for which I downloaded a template from an online website. The LaTeX code is as follows. By default, the date appears to be in right top. How do I bring it to the left? I am new to LaTeX and any help on this would be appreciated.

\documentclass{letter}
\usepackage{amssymb,amsmath}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\oddsidemargin=.2in
\evensidemargin=.2in
\textwidth=5.9in
\topmargin=-.5in
\textheight=9in


\newcommand {\qed}{\mbox{$\Box$}}
\renewcommand {\iff}{\Longleftrightarrow}
\newcommand {\R}{\mathbb{R}}
\newcommand {\N}{\mathbb{N}}
\newcommand {\Q}{\mathbb{Q}}
\newcommand {\Z}{\mathbb{Z}}

\newcommand {\sub}{\mbox{SB}}


\begin{document}
\begin{letter}{Mathematics Search Committee\\
Department of Mathematics\\
University of Somewhere\\
1234 Math Building
Somewhere, IL, 23456}


\opening{Dear Search Committee,}

My research interests include continuous logic and its application to metric structures from analysis and geometry. My thesis work is on the model theory of $\R$-trees, which are metric spaces of central importance in geometric group theory. I am currently finishing a paper with my advisor, and expect at least one more paper to result from the contents of my thesis.

\closing{Sincerely, }
Sylvia Carlisle\\
\end{letter}

\end{document}

enter image description here

Best Answer

One idea is to just flush the date to the left by redefining \date, or actually \@date. (It requites that this is the only place \@dateis used.)

\documentclass{letter}
\usepackage{amssymb,amsmath}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\oddsidemargin=.2in
\evensidemargin=.2in
\textwidth=5.9in
\topmargin=-.5in
\textheight=9in


\newcommand {\qed}{\mbox{$\Box$}}
\renewcommand {\iff}{\Longleftrightarrow}
\newcommand {\R}{\mathbb{R}}
\newcommand {\N}{\mathbb{N}}
\newcommand {\Q}{\mathbb{Q}}
\newcommand {\Z}{\mathbb{Z}}

\newcommand {\sub}{\mbox{SB}}

%%%%%%%%%%%%%% New stuff
\makeatletter
\renewcommand\date[1]{\gdef\@date{\hbox to \linewidth{#1\hss}}}
\makeatother
\date{\today}
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

\begin{document}
\begin{letter}{Mathematics Search Committee\\
Department of Mathematics\\
University of Somewhere\\
1234 Math Building
Somewhere, IL, 23456}


\opening{Dear Search Committee,}

My research interests include continuous logic and its application to metric structures from analysis and geometry. My thesis work is on the model theory of $\R$-trees, which are metric spaces of central importance in geometric group theory. I am currently finishing a paper with my advisor, and expect at least one more paper to result from the contents of my thesis.

\closing{Sincerely, }
Sylvia Carlisle\\
\end{letter}

\end{document}

enter image description here

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