# [NTG-context] Spacing in \unit

Bruce Horrocks ntg at scorecrow.com
Sun Sep 25 18:31:11 CEST 2022


> On 25 Sep 2022, at 14:30, Gavin via ntg-context <ntg-context at ntg.nl> wrote:
>
> Hello list,
>
> I have a few questions about space produced by the unit command. Consider this MWE
>
> \starttext
> \unit{3.00e8 kg m/s}
>
> $\unit{3.00e8 kg m/s}$
> \stoptext
>
> The dot between “kg” and “m” has different spacing depending on whether the \unit command is in text or math mode. I think that the tighter spacing in the first one, in text, is correct.
>
> I personally would also like less space around the \times. To me, the number 3.00e8 should be typeset more like a single number, rather than like a product of 3.00 and 10^8. I am probably in the minority here. If \unit and \digit had an option for tighter spacing around the \times, I’d use it, but the current output with more space is probably what most people expect and want. Perhaps something like [scispace=tight].

I too would prefer less space around the times e.g. \starttext 3.00×10\high{8} \stoptext is fine (except for the 8 which is nicer in \unit).

—
Bruce Horrocks
Hampshire, UK