9.47.2 Greatest hits from previous weeks

9.47.2.1 Keeping tables/figures close to where they are mentioned
9.47.2.2 \mathbb Z  yields undefined control sequence error
9.47.2.3 How to change color for a block of texts?
9.47.2.4 Why does \\ not return a new line in an equation?
9.47.2.5 Big Parenthesis in an Equation
9.47.2.6 Column and row padding in tables
9.47.2.7 How can I get bold math symbols?
9.47.2.1 Keeping tables/figures close to where they are mentioned

https://tex.stackexchange.com/landing/r/digest?cta=question&id=2275

Is there any package or a method to force LaTeX to keep floating environments like table and figure closer to where they are declared? 
[floats] [positioning]
 
asked by artimess https://tex.stackexchange.com/landing/r/digest?cta=user&id=833 Score of 385
answered by Stefan Kottwitz https://tex.stackexchange.com/landing/r/digest?cta=user&id=213 Score of 388
9.47.2.2 \mathbb Z  yields undefined control sequence error

https://tex.stackexchange.com/landing/r/digest?cta=question&id=38769

I am using WinEdt 6 for compiling my TeX documents. I am getting an error with contains the line $\mathbb{Z}$ showing that it is undefined control sequence. How should I rectify it? Should I include ... 
[math-mode] [errors] [symbols]
 
asked by Ramana Venkata https://tex.stackexchange.com/landing/r/digest?cta=user&id=10154 Score of 239
9.47.2.3 How to change color for a block of texts?

https://tex.stackexchange.com/landing/r/digest?cta=question&id=17104

I am editing a LaTeX paper with Emacs. Sometimes I want to make a block of texts less obvious (or less important to see). Instead of totally hiding them, they should still be there. Is there an easy ... 
[color]
 
asked by SoftTimur https://tex.stackexchange.com/landing/r/digest?cta=user&id=5110 Score of 334
answered by Martin Scharrer https://tex.stackexchange.com/landing/r/digest?cta=user&id=2975 Score of 410
9.47.2.4 Why does \\ not return a new line in an equation?

https://tex.stackexchange.com/landing/r/digest?cta=question&id=194236

\begin{equation*}\label{eq:pareto mle2} 
A_0 = \frac{1}{(\alpha+t_x)^{r+s+x}}{}_2F_1\left(r+s+x,x+1;r+s+x+1;\frac{\alpha-\beta}{\alpha + t_x} \right ) "\\\" <br> 
- \frac{1}{(\alpha+T)^{r+s+x}}{}... 
[equations] [line-breaking]
 
asked by user3714137 https://tex.stackexchange.com/landing/r/digest?cta=user&id=60029 Score of 116
answered by Mico https://tex.stackexchange.com/landing/r/digest?cta=user&id=5001 Score of 52
9.47.2.5 Big Parenthesis in an Equation

https://tex.stackexchange.com/landing/r/digest?cta=question&id=38868

I have an equation contained inside \[...\], which automatically makes a \sum with sub- and superscripts turn big--so that the summation sign looks awkward inside parenthesis.  Any idea how to make ... 
[math-mode] [delimiters]
 
asked by jamaicanworm https://tex.stackexchange.com/landing/r/digest?cta=user&id=9757 Score of 253
answered by qubyte https://tex.stackexchange.com/landing/r/digest?cta=user&id=9043 Score of 369
9.47.2.6 Column and row padding in tables

https://tex.stackexchange.com/landing/r/digest?cta=question&id=31672

How do you guys go about controlling column padding in tables? 
Update 
To clarify, I'm looking for a way to control both vertical and horizontal padding. So, if I had a simple table like in the ... 
[tables] [spacing] [columns]
 
asked by JustDanyul https://tex.stackexchange.com/landing/r/digest?cta=user&id=8615 Score of 446
answered by Werner https://tex.stackexchange.com/landing/r/digest?cta=user&id=5764 Score of 356
9.47.2.7 How can I get bold math symbols?

https://tex.stackexchange.com/landing/r/digest?cta=question&id=595

To make Latin-letter variables bold I can use e.g. \mathbf{a}, but while putting Greek letters or symbols such as \nabla inside \mathbf doesn't cause any errors or warnings, it also doesn't do ... 
[fonts] [math-mode] [symbols] [bold]
 
asked by Michael Underwood https://tex.stackexchange.com/landing/r/digest?cta=user&id=32 Score of 611
answered by Mark Meckes https://tex.stackexchange.com/landing/r/digest?cta=user&id=206 Score of 521