Below is the LaTeX code and the PDF output for a simple sample document. First you will see a readable version of the code followed by the LaTeX PDF output. At the bottom of the you will find a easy to copy version of the code if you would like to play around with and compile it on your computer.
% This is a simple sample document. For more complicated documents take a look in the exercise tab. Note that everything that comes after a % symbol is treated as comment and ignored when the code is compiled.
\documentclass{article} % \documentclass{} is the first command in any LaTeX code. It is used to define what kind of document you are creating such as an article or a book, and begins the document preamble
\usepackage{amsmath} % \usepackage is a command that allows you to add functionality to your LaTeX code
\title{Simple Sample} % Sets article title
\author{My Name} % Sets authors name
\date{\today} % Sets date for date compiled
% The preamble ends with the command \begin{document}
\begin{document} % All begin commands must be paired with an end command somewhere
\maketitle % creates title using information in preamble (title, author, date)
\section{Hello World!} % creates a section
\textbf{Hello World!} Today I am learning \LaTeX. %notice how the command will end at the first non-alphabet charecter such as the . after \LaTeX
\LaTeX{} is a great program for writing math. I can write in line math such as $a^2+b^2=c^2$ %$ tells LaTexX to compile as math
. I can also give equations their own space:
\begin{equation} % Creates an equation environment and is compiled as math
\gamma^2+\theta^2=\omega^2
\end{equation}
If I do not leave any blank lines \LaTeX{} will continue this text without making it into a new paragraph. Notice how there was no indentation in the text after equation (1).
Also notice how even though I hit enter after that sentence and here $\downarrow$
\LaTeX{} formats the sentence without any break. Also look how it doesn't matter how many spaces I put between my words.
For a new paragraph I can leave a blank space in my code.
\end{document} % This is the end of the document