FatalMath Mode
Missing Number in Math or Dimension
! Missing number, treated as zero.
What this error means
LaTeX expected a number (for a dimension, counter, or numeric argument) but found something unexpected. This often happens when a \hspace, \vspace, or \rule command is given a non-numeric argument.
Common causes
- \hspace{} or \vspace{} with an invalid or missing dimension unit
- \setcounter or \addtocounter given a non-integer value
- A command that requires a number received text or an empty argument
How to fix it
Provide a valid numeric dimension (e.g. \hspace{1em} or \vspace{12pt}). Dimensions require a unit — never write \hspace{1} without specifying pt, em, cm, etc.
Code examples
Causes the error
\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
\hspace{1} % Missing unit — error!
\end{document}Fixed
\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
\hspace{1em} % Correct: number + unit
\end{document}Related errors
Test the fix live
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