% This is an example LaTeX document, which shows you how to make sections, import figure etc

% set the document class.  For reports you can use "article" or "report".  "book" might be better for dissertations etc
\documentclass[12pt]{article} 

% you can import packages using the \usepackage command.  For example, the geometry package lets you easily adjust the margins

\usepackage[left=2cm,top=2cm,right=3cm,nohead,nofoot]{geometry}

% the amsmath, graphics and multirow packages are also useful

\usepackage{amsmath, graphicx, multirow}

% pagestyle specifies the page style (!)  Default is with numbers, "empty" removes page numbers

\pagestyle{empty}

% you can also change other aspects of the formatting here.  For example, you might want there to be a blank line between paragraphs:

\addtolength{\parskip}{\baselineskip}

% this command marks the beginning of the document.  Don't forget the \end{document} command at the end!

\begin{document}

\begin{center}
\LARGE{\textsf{This is a large centered title in ``sf'' font}}
\end{center}


\section{Introduction}
\label{s:Introduction}

The best thing about LaTeX is that it automatically numbers sections and equations.
If you change the order of things, you don't need to change the numbering.
It is also possible to automatically generate a contents page etc.

\section{Main Content}

Another equally good thing is that it is easy to type equations and other maths formulae.
For example, if $X$ is a random variable with a $\chi^2_k$ distribution, then its pdf is
\[
 f(x;k) = \frac{1}{2^{k/2}\Gamma(k/2)}x^{(k/2)-1}e^{-x/2}, \ x > 0.
\]
If you want to number the equation, you have to use the \texttt{equation} environment.
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:Chisq}
 f(x;k) = \frac{1}{2^{k/2}\Gamma(k/2)}x^{(k/2)-1}e^{-x/2}, \ x > 0.
\end{equation}
Then you can refer anywhere in the text to equation (\ref{eq:Chisq}) and LaTeX automatically generates the correct equation number.
If you want an equation or argument to spread over more then one line, use the \texttt{eqnarray} environment:
\begin{eqnarray}
 f(x;k) &=& \frac{1}{2^{k/2}\Gamma(k/2)}x^{(k/2)-1}e^{-x/2}, \ x > 0 \nonumber \\
   &\propto& x^{k/2 -1}e^{-x/2}. \label{eq:Chisq2}
\end{eqnarray}
Another useful thing is an \texttt{array}.  For example, you may prefer to write
\begin{eqnarray}
f(x:k) = \left \{ \begin{array}{ll} 
              \frac{1}{2^{k/2}\Gamma(k/2)}x^{(k/2)-1}e^{-x/2} & \ \mbox{for}\ x > 0, \nonumber \\
               0 & \ \mbox{for}\ x \le 0.
          \end{array}  \right .
\end{eqnarray}

It is also possible to include graphics in a LaTeX document.
The easiest way is with the \texttt{$\backslash$includegraphics} command, 
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=3in]{Eg1.eps}
\end{center}
If you want to include captions and labels, you should use the \texttt{figure} environment:
\begin{figure}[b]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=3in]{Eg2.eps}
\caption{An example of a figure with a caption.}
\label{fig:Figure2} % the label command should come after the caption
\end{figure}

One thing many people have trouble with is tables.
You can make a table using the \texttt{tabular} environment.  
To make cells span across rows or columns, you can include the \texttt{multirow} package.
For example,
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{|r|ccc|}
\hline
Vehicle & \multicolumn{3}{c|}{fuel/day} \\
\hline
SUV & 20 & 21 & 34 \\
Small Car & 12 & 32 & 17 \\
Motorbike & 2 & 3 & 8 \\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
If you want to add labels and captions to tables then embed them in the \texttt{table} environemnt.

\section{Conclusion}

As mentioned in section \ref{s:Introduction}, it is really great not having to worry about numbering.
In addition, after a little practice writing equations and maths expressions is really fast and easy, and they come out looking much better than in standard word processing documents.

There is plenty of help on the web - for example \texttt{http://www.giss.nasa.gov/tools/latex/} is good for looking up how to use commands and environments.
Google is also a very useful tool.

Finally, don't forget to include a bibliography.
Like equation numbers, it is also really easy to make citations.
For example, as an Oxford don once wrote \cite{LC1865} 
\begin{quote}
``No wonder you're late.  
 Why, this watch is exactly two days slow.''
\end{quote}


\begin{thebibliography}{99}
\bibitem{LC1865} Lewis Carroll (1865) \emph{Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.}
\end{thebibliography}

% This is the easiest way to reference and make a bibliography.  You can use different styles with the command \bibliographystyle.  BibTeX is also a very useful tool - you can build up a data base of references and LaTeX only puts those into the bibliography which you cite in that document.

\end{document}