diff --git a/tutorials/text/mathtext.py b/tutorials/text/mathtext.py
index bb230d419246..fb4b2a6452d8 100644
--- a/tutorials/text/mathtext.py
+++ b/tutorials/text/mathtext.py
@@ -66,6 +66,15 @@
 
     \alpha_i > \beta_i
 
+To display multi-letter subscripts or superscripts correctly,
+you should put them in curly braces ``{...}``::
+
+    r'$\alpha^{ic} > \beta_{ic}$'
+
+.. math::
+
+    \alpha^{ic} > \beta_{ic}
+
 Some symbols automatically put their sub/superscripts under and over the
 operator.  For example, to write the sum of :mathmpl:`x_i` from :mathmpl:`0` to
 :mathmpl:`\infty`, you could do::