Can one use mathjax to circumvent the 500 character limit? For example, imagine what the following might do:

\newcommand{\dbl}[1]{#1#1}

Who will be the first person to implement an ascii fractal this way?

Lessons from my writing:

1. The mastodon interface has no markdown preview; can admins add one? For example, here's one: kerzol.github.io/markdown-math

2. Greek letters are *expensive*; latex $$\alpha$$ is 6 characters, plus 4 for math mode. Unicode α is only 1.

3. All those extra spaces in my easy-to-read latex source add up!

Pythagorean Theorem

0. Subdivide a right triangle into two smaller right triangles.

1. $$\alpha+\tau = 90 = \sigma+\tau$$ so $$\alpha = \sigma$$. Likewise $$\beta = \tau$$.
Hence the three triangles are similar.

2. By similarity,
$\frac{s}{a}=\frac{a}{c}, \quad \frac{t}{b} = \frac{b}{c}.$

3. By construction $$c = s + t$$.

4. Combining these, we have
$c = \frac{a^2}{c} + \frac{b^2}{c},$
therefore
$c^2 = a^2 + b^2.$

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