Typing Mathematical Equations
Typing Mathematical Equations
A Mathematical equation is a statement with an ‘equal to’ sign (=) between two expressions that have equal values. For instance, 6x + 4 = 16. There are different types of equations such as linear, quadratic, cubic, differential, etc
Typing a mathematical equation on a computer is a complex task and requires more attention than regular typing because it involves numbers, special symbols, and characters. Thoroughly formatting and aligning equations adds to the complexity and makes it a clumsy task for newbies.
You may have a bad experience if you have attempted typing a mathematics assignment for the first time. And what if your professor asked to align all equations at = (equal)?
The easiest way to write equations is to use Microsoft Word Native Equation Editor or Mathtype software. Microsoft Word native equations editor is an easy to reach tool for entering simple and complex equations. On the other hand, Mathtype is a powerful equation editor with an interactive interface. It is available for Windows and Macintosh operating systems. It has an enormous set of symbols and special characters which allows users to type mathematical equations and formulas for various purposes such as word processing, presentation, learning, publishing TeX, MathML, and LaTeX.
To be honest, Microsoft Word native equations editor has been built on Mathtype foundation and has never been updated for a long period. Hence, there are some limitations with the Microsoft Word native equations editor.
The third option is to use latex and formulate equations. It is merely a programming language designed for writing complex documents, particularly documents with a lot of mathematical equations and graphs, etc. It is not recommended for rookies to go with latex as it involves codes for every symbol.
Here are the steps to type mathematical equations in Microsoft Word.
Typing Maths Equation in Microsoft Word
- Click on the Insert tab.
- Click on “Insert Equation” and then choose “Insert New Equation” command.
- Type your equation in “Type New Equation Here” box.
Figure 1. Typing Mathematical Equation in MS-Word
As a shortcut key you can use Alt and = keys combinations to insert equations instantly. If you are on tablet, employ ink Equation Tool to quickly insert equations into Microsoft word.
Type Equations using Mathtype Software
- Launch Mathtype software.
- Type equation in the Mathtype interface.
- Click on “Edit” menu and choose “Select All” command or press Ctrl + A .
- Click on “Edit” menu again and choose “Copy” command or press Ctrl + C.
- Now switch to Word Document.
- Click on “Home” tab.
- Click on “Paste” option or press Ctrl+V.
Figure 2. Typing Mathematical Equation in Mathtype
In the previous section of this post, I have raised a question that what if Professor Toad requires all students to align their equations at = sign. Therefore, I must answer that question otherwise Professor Toad’s assistant will assign me zero score and open a dispute for leaving that question blank. There are several ways to work around the requirements. The students may press Tab or Space bar repeatedly to align equations, but it is very tedious and still not fulfill the requirements the right way.
Aligning Equations at = (equal) in Microsoft Word
- Select two or more equations.
- Right click on selected equations.
- Choose “Align at =” option from displayed.
Figure 3. Align equations at = in MS-Word
Aligning equations at = (equal) in Math Type
- Click on “Format” menu.
- Choose “Align at =” command.
Figure 4. Align equations at = in Mathtype
Conclusion
To conclude, a mathematical equation is a statement with an ‘equal to’ sign (=) between two expressions. There are many types of equations like linear, quadratic, cubic, differential, etc. Typing a mathematical is a complex task and requires more attention than regular typing. In addition to this, formatting and aligning equations increase complexity. You may have a misfortune typing a mathematics assignment and on top of it, the professor asked to align all equations at = (equal) sign? In this article, we have described two ways to type mathematical equations. You can use Microsoft Word Native Equation Editor or Mathtype software to type simple and complex equations. Altogether, Microsoft Word native equations editor built on Mathtype foundation with certain limitations. Anyhow, the third option is to use latex. And the best part is it is a programming language designed for writing complex documents, particularly documents with a lot of mathematical equations and graphs.
If typing mathematical equations are beyond your capabilities. No problem, our dedicated team can type your equations using Word equation editor or Mathtype. Please Contact Us to get started.
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