# Need \prod to look like \Pi? [closed]

Occasionally I found $\prod$ (\prod) looked like $\sqcap$ (\sqcap). However if memory serves me right, is it more closer to $\Pi$ (\Pi) in many other places? What's more, since \sum is close to \Sigma, \Pi seems more suitable for \prod.

Note that the question is not 'Should \prod be replaced by \Pi?' but 'Should the feature of \prod be similar to \Pi?' That is, since \prod in many other places(such as books we usually read) looks like $\Pi$, whereas looks like $\sqcap$ in here, so I think someone who does not familiar with this kind font will easily get misunderstand.

This diagram illustrates the problem, even some other users cannot see it, but it is real a fact for me.

• Pro and con of \Sigma were discussed at length earlier: meta.math.stackexchange.com/questions/3932/… .
– zyx
Mar 22 '13 at 21:01
• In some fonts, pi looks like $\sqcap$.
– user14972
Mar 23 '13 at 5:06
• Arial, for example, renders capital pi that way.
– user14972
Mar 23 '13 at 5:17
• What is the question? Mar 23 '13 at 7:45
• @AntonioVargas I have updated my post and then it is obviously. Mar 23 '13 at 8:48
• @Hurkyl Is Math.SE using those fonts? Mar 23 '13 at 9:06
• Seems to be a local problem on your machine. Did you restart your browser and did you try clearing its cache? In Opera the option to clear the cache is available under either Settings > Preferences > Advanced > History > Click on "Empty Now" or (more brutally) Settings > Delete Private Data. If you right click on a formula and choose Math Settings > Math Renderer which one is selected? Does the problem remain if you select another one? Mar 23 '13 at 20:57
• Thank you. I have emptied my browser but unfortunately the problem remains. However, I spotted the math render is set at HTML-CSS and the feature changed to bigger $\Pi$ after be set to MathML. So it seems a bit different from pdf files Mar 24 '13 at 1:50

For me, \prod $\prod$ does look like \Pi $\Pi$. Except bigger. If it does not look that way for you, then maybe it is a problem with your browser, or the fonts on your computer. Why not tell us what they are?

• Sorry, I don't know how it works. But if memory serves me right, after converted from TeX code into pdf file, symbols will not change. That is, it will look the same on different computers. Mar 23 '13 at 15:14
• In addition, my OS is MS Windows8 and my browser is Opera 12.14. Mar 23 '13 at 16:23

Follow the names: \prod is for products, \sum is for sums, \Pi is for the capital Greek letter "pi" and \Sigma for the capital Greek letter "sigma". To use \Pi for products or \Sigma for sums is counterproductive, if only for spacing and indexing reasons.

• Frankly, your answer does not correspond to my question. Please consider why the symbol of sum looks like Sigma and the symbol of product looks like Pi? Not only in TeX, but also in handwriting. I think it just due to the pronunciation of those two Greek letters. So it is natural to write sum and product similar to those Greek letters. What's more, in AMS packages of LaTeX, \prod indeed looks like \Pi rather than \sqcap. Mar 23 '13 at 1:56
• Frankly, what is your question in the end? In the sentence "Should the feature of \prod be similar to \Pi?", what does the word "feature" refer to? And what are the imperatives (ethic, esthetic, scientific, other) with respect to which this "should" or this "should" not be whatever it is supposed to be?
– Did
Mar 23 '13 at 11:00
• Well, \prod in many other places(such as books we usually read) looks like $\Pi$, whereas looks like $\sqcap$ in here, so I think someone who does not familiar with this kind font will easily get misunderstand . Mar 23 '13 at 15:57
• However it seems the problem only for me. Others did not meet this...(Is my browser cursed?) Mar 23 '13 at 16:02