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## Ensuring math mode

`\ensuremath` `{`<math commands>`}`

In LATEX 2.09, if you wanted a command to work both in math mode and in text mode, the suggested method was to define something like:

       \newcommand{\Gp}{\mbox{$G_p$}}

Unfortunately, the `\mbox` stops `\Gp` changing size correctly in (for instance) subscripts or a fraction.

In LATEX2e you can define it thus:

       \newcommand{\Gp}{\ensuremath{G_p}}

Now `\Gp` will work correctly in all contexts.

This is because the `\ensuremath` does nothing, producing simply `G_p`, when `\Gp` is used within math mode; but it ensures that math mode is entered (and exited) as required when `\Gp` is used in text mode.