Tips on Microsoft Equation Editor
One of your options for communicating mathematics over the Internet would be to use
Microsoft Word and Microsoft Equation Editor.
The Microsoft Equation Editor is free with
Office or Word, but does not always install in
standard installation of these programs. To
see if you have it installed, open a Word
document and try to insert an equation.
a
Insert then Object then scroll down and
look for Microsoft Equation 3.0.
If you don’t have it, you’ll have to install it
from your original installation CDs.
If you’re planning to take a lot of math
classes, or planning to take several math
classes in an online format, you may wish to
invest in a copy of MathType 6.0 (academic
price $57).
Download a 30-day trial of MathType: http://www.dessci.com/en/products/mathtype/trial.asp
To add a button to the toolbar at the top of your screen in Word, go to View then Toolbar,
then scroll to the bottom of the menu to Customize. Scroll the menu on the right to find
Equation Editor. Drag this to the toolbar at the top (as seen in the image below). Now you
can click on this button to add an equation to your document.
Prepared by Maria H. Andersen, Muskegon Community College
Tips on Microsoft Equation Editor
Here are some useful Hotkey Commands that work inside of both the Equation Editor
and MathType (for PC users):
Ctrl-F
Ctrl-L
Ctrl-H
Ctrl-J
Ctrl-R
Ctrl-space
Ctrl-9
Ctrl-[
Ctrl-{
Fraction
Low script (subscript)
High script (superscript)
Low and High script
Radical symbol
Space
Resizing parentheses
Resizing brackets
Resizing braces
Note for Mac users: There is also an equation editor for Microsoft Word for Macs, but it uses
slightly different hotkeys. In general, you will have to change the directions in the
video from using the Ctrl-key to using the Command-key.
Not being terribly familiar with Macs, I cannot tell you which hotkeys do exactly
what in most Mac Systems, but it will be similar to the ones listed above.
You may wish to practice writing some equations. Here are some equations you can try and
some tips to make the typing a little faster.
a. f ( x ) = 3 x 2 − 4
(Tip: You can use Ctrl-H for high script or high exponents, and Ctrl-R for the radical symbol)
x3 − 4
x2 + 5
(Tip: You can use Ctrl-L for subscript or low script and Ctrl-F for the fraction)
b. y2 =
⎛ x +1 ⎞
c. y′′ = ⎜
⎟
⎝ x −π ⎠
(Tip: You can use Ctrl-9 for the resizing parentheses)
2
d. y ≈ 9ε + δ
(Tip: Lowercase Greek letters are all on the same menu)
e.
x
0
5
10
15
y 2.4 5.1 6.2 6.8
(Tip: You can make a table of values using the matrix option in the lower-right menu)
Prepared by Maria H. Andersen, Muskegon Community College
Using the Equation Toolbar
single-click on a button to see a menu
Relational Symbols
Spaces and Ellipses
Embellishments
Operator Symbols
Arrow Symbols
Logical Symbols
Set Theory Symbols
Miscellaneous Symbols
Greek Characters
Lowercase
Greek Characters
Uppercase
Fence Templates
Fraction and Radical
Templates
Subscript and Superscript
Templates
Summation
Templates
Integral Templates
Underbar and Overbar
Templates
Labeled Arrow
Templates
Products and Set Theory
Templates
Matrix Templates
This page was created by the Klein Independent School District, author unknown.