Thanks for these examples.
How does one make the exponents continue to shrink (like in \cfrac) , and the
\udots appear slightly higher so that they are above the \sqrt?
\starttext
\permanent\protected\def\pow#1#2{\mathord{#1}^{#2}}
\im{\pow{\pow{\pow{\pow{\sqrt2}{\sqrt2}}{\sqrt2}}{\sqrt2}}{\udots}=2}
\stoptext
Matthias
> On Jul 2, 2026, at 2:51 AM, Hans Hagen via ntg-context <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> On 7/2/2026 3:38 AM, Jim Diamond via ntg-context wrote:
>> Hi all,
>> plain TeX typesets the expression
>> ${x^n}^3$
>> so that the baseline of the 3 is higher than the baseline of the n.
>> ConTeXt typesets the expression
>> \im{{x^n}^3}
>> so that the baseline of the 3 is the same as the baseline of the n.
>> Is this intentional?
>
> Of course.
>
> \setupbodyfont[pagella]
>
> \starttext
>
> \permanent\protected\def\pow#1#2{\mathord{#1}^{2}}
>
> \im{x^n^3}
>
> \im{(x^n)^3}
>
> \im{{\green 21} {\blue +} {\red x^n}^{\darkgray 3}}
>
> \im{\mathord{x^n}^{\red 3}}
>
> \im{\pow{x^n}{3}}
>
> \im{\pow{x+n}{3}}
>
> \stoptext
>
> In Context math we want to focus on proper rendering without any need for
> manual intervention (these tiny used enforced spaces) that can mess up the
> result. We also want to focus on meaning and permits to set properties
> without interferance. For that reason there are some features that we enable
> by default, like {} being just grouping characters and not atom creators. In
> a similar fashion we have primes as native feature and multiscripts and such.
> Also, a lot is about classes.
>
> Out big test cases are Mikaels math books and lecture notes and so far we
> have not seen any negative side effects.
>
> \setupbodyfont[pagella]
>
> \starttext
>
> \permanent\protected\def\pow#1#2{\mathord{#1}^{2}} % think \frac
>
> \im{x^n^3}
>
> \im{(x^n)^3}
>
> \im{{\green 21} {\blue +} {\red x^n}^{\darkgray 3}}
>
> \im{\mathord{x^n}^{\red 3}}
>
> \im{\pow{x^n}{3}}
>
> \im{\pow{x+n}{3}}
>
> \stoptext
>
> Maybe this should be stressed a bit (which you will now do on the wiki.)
>
>> (And I do know that if I use \im{x^{n^3}} the 3 is higher than the n, but I
>> was wondering about \im{{x^n}^3}.)
>
> In general for inline math these super-super scripts sit somewhat low so they
> are not that disctinctive. In the perspective of hot-topic
> hyper-accessibility one can argue for (x^n) so make the super-super script
> stand out more.
>
> We can have a vote on \pow I guess but I leave that to Mikael and Aditya and
> you as math {\red pow}er users.
>
> Hans
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> Hans Hagen | PRAGMA ADE
> Ridderstraat 27 | 8061 GH Hasselt | The Netherlands
> tel: 038 477 53 69 | www.pragma-ade.nl | www.pragma-pod.nl
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
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