Beta (β) in LaTeX
\beta typesets the lowercase Greek letter beta (β) in maths mode; as with alpha, there is no separate command for an uppercase beta because it looks identical to a Latin B.
LaTeX command
\betaNot the symbol you meant? Draw it to find the command →
Beta shows up constantly across maths, statistics and physics: a regression coefficient (the slope in y = alpha + beta x), the parameters of a Beta distribution in Bayesian statistics, beta particles and beta decay in nuclear physics, and beta as a second angle alongside alpha in geometry and trigonometric identities.
In statistics, beta carries two very different common meanings, watch for both: the slope coefficient in a regression model, and separately the probability of a Type II error, the complement of statistical power (1 minus beta). The two are unrelated beyond sharing a symbol, so state which is meant.
As with alpha, an uppercase beta is just typed as a plain Latin B, there is no \Beta command in LaTeX. If you need beta in bold, for a vector of regression coefficients say, use \boldsymbol{\beta} rather than \mathbf{\beta}.
Other forms
\betalowercase betaExamples
$\beta$lowercase beta inline
$y = \alpha + \beta x$beta as a regression slope
$\beta \sim \text{Beta}(a, b)$a Beta-distributed parameter
$\cos(\alpha - \beta) = \cos\alpha\cos\beta + \sin\alpha\sin\beta$beta in an angle-subtraction identity
$1 - \beta$statistical power, the complement of a Type II error rate
Tips and common mistakes
- There is no
\Betacommand, an uppercase beta is typed as a plain B, the glyphs are identical. - Distinguish beta the regression coefficient from beta the Type II error rate, both are everyday statistics usage but mean completely different things.
- For a vector of coefficients,
\boldsymbol{\beta}is the standard bold form, plain\mathbf{\beta}does not bold lowercase Greek letters. - The Beta function and Beta distribution are usually written with an upright, capitalised word Beta, not the symbol
\betaitself, don't conflate the two. \betaneeds no extra package, it is built into core LaTeX.
Working from handwritten notes?
LatexNotes turns a photo or PDF of handwritten mathematics into clean, compilable LaTeX - graphs and all. Free to try, no sign-up.
Convert your maths to LaTeX →FAQ
What is the LaTeX command for beta?
\beta, for example .
How do I write an uppercase beta?
Just type a plain B, capital beta looks identical to the Latin letter B, so LaTeX provides no separate command.
What does beta mean in a regression equation?
It is the coefficient, or slope, multiplying a predictor variable; in y = alpha + beta x, beta is how much y changes per unit increase in x.
What's the difference between beta and the Beta distribution?
\beta, the lowercase Greek letter, is often a parameter or coefficient; the Beta distribution, written as an upright word, is a specific probability distribution on [0,1] with its own two shape parameters, which are themselves often called alpha and beta, which can be confusing since they share the letter's name.