LaTeX has very large default margins--almost two inches wide on
each side. Most people don't like them.
Fortunately, LaTeX margins are easy
to change. An easy way to use more of the page is to use the
fullpage documentstyle (see section 
).
While most text formatting systems use left and
right margins, LaTeX keeps track of the left margin and the text
width. In fact, since LaTeX lets you specify different margins for
even and odd numbered pages, it keeps track of two left-hand
margins. So,
to reduce the left hand margin by half an inch you would use the
commands:
\addtolength{\oddsidemargin}{-.5in}
\addtolength{\evensidemargin}{-.5in}
Then to reduce the ``right-hand margin'' by the same amount, you
would increase text width:
\addtolength{\textwidth}{1in}
If you've included the simplemargins option in your
\documentstyle line, you can use a set of commands to simplify
setting margins. These commands are perhaps more intuitive:
\setleftmargin{1in}
\setrightmargin{1in}
\settopmargin{1in}
\setbottommargin{1in}
If you merely want to set all margins to a uniform size, use:
\setallmargins{1in}
Again, however, you must have included the simplemargins
command and you must thus also set the TEXINPUTS variable
mentioned in section .