[Tex/LaTex] New environment using mdframed

environmentsmdframed

I'm trying to write a collection of problems and their solutions for my course's textbook. I've created an exercise environment. I'm currently using the mdframed package to create a leftbar that spans the exercise descriptions.

Here are some of my issues and questions:

  • Is it possible to create an exercise environment like mine so that "Exercise —" appears on the same line as the exercise description (so no line breaks)?
  • Should the leftbar in my example be changed any? Does it go too far above/below the text? It seems like the bar goes farther above the text than it does below the text.

  • How would I change my example so that instead of a leftbar, the entire exercise environment (not including the solutions) is shaded a light gray?

    \documentclass[11pt]{article}

\usepackage{amsmath,amssymb,amsfonts}
\usepackage{color, linegoal}
\usepackage{amsthm,array}
\usepackage[framemethod=tikz]{mdframed}
\usepackage[margin=1.2in]{geometry}

% Exercise environment
\definecolor{ExerciseColor}{gray}{0.65}

\newenvironment{exercise}[1]
{\mdfsetup{
skipabove=\topsep,
skipbelow=\topsep,
innertopmargin=0pt,
innerbottommargin=4pt,
leftmargin=-13pt,
splitbottomskip=0ex,
splittopskip=0ex,
topline=false,
leftline=true,
bottomline=false,
rightline=false,
innerrightmargin=0pt,
innerlinewidth=2pt,
font=\normalfont,
frametitle={\textbf{Exercise #1.}}, 
linecolor=ExerciseColor,
}
\begin{mdframed}%
}
{\end{mdframed}}

% Solution environment
\newenvironment{solution}{\begin{proof}[\itshape Solution]}{\end{proof}}

\begin{document}
\title{Title}
\author{Author}
\date{\today}
\maketitle

\section*{\centering \bfseries \S 1.3 Exercises}

\begin{exercise}{1.3.1}
Here is an exercise. Here is an exercise. Here is an exercise. Here is an exercise. Here is an exercise. Here is an equation:
\[
a + b = c.
\]
Here is an exercise. 
\end{exercise}
\begin{solution}
Here is my solution. Here is an equation:
\[
1+2 = 3.
\]
Here is my solution. 
\end{solution}

\begin{exercise}{1.3.5}
Here is an exercise. Here is an exercise. Here is an exercise. Here is an exercise. Here is an exercise. Here is an equation:
\[
a + b = c.
\]
Here is an exercise. 
\end{exercise}
\begin{solution}
Here is my solution.
\end{solution}

\end{document}

Output:

Best Answer

Here's another similar approach, but this time using the interface provided by the thmtools package; the idea is to define the structure as a theorem-like one, and use the mdframed key provided by thmtools:

\documentclass[11pt]{article}
\usepackage{xcolor}
\usepackage{amsthm}
\usepackage{thmtools}
\usepackage[framemethod=tikz]{mdframed}

\definecolor{ExerciseColor}{gray}{0.65}

\declaretheoremstyle[
headfont=\normalfont\bfseries,
notefont=\mdseries, notebraces={(}{)},
bodyfont=\normalfont,
postheadspace=0.5em,
mdframed={
  skipabove=\topsep,
  skipbelow=\topsep,
  hidealllines=true,
  backgroundcolor={ExerciseColor!20},
  innerleftmargin=0pt,
  innerrightmargin=0pt}
]{mystyle}
\declaretheorem[style=mystyle,name=Exercise]{exer}
\newenvironment{exercise}[1]
  {\renewcommand\theexer{#1}\begin{exer}}
  {\end{exer}}

\begin{document}

\begin{exercise}{1.3.5}
Here is an exercise. Here is an exercise. Here is an exercise. Here is an exercise. Here is an exercise. Here is an equation:
\[
a + b = c.
\]
Here is an exercise. 
\end{exercise}

\begin{exercise}{1.3.7}
Here is an exercise. Here is an exercise. Here is an exercise. Here is an exercise. Here is an exercise. Here is an equation:
\[
a + b = c.
\]
Here is an exercise. 
\end{exercise}

\end{document}

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