Any suggestions for math equation editor?

[hkhart]

I'm having a heck of a time trying to get my pre-calc paper homework transcribed into MS Word. TESC has link to Mathtype 6 but I'm still finding it difficult to use. Not sure if it is me or software!

Any suggestions appreciated.

[bricabrac]

You just need to get accustomed to the software. I used mathtype and didn't have a problem. Are you using it as a source for symbols? That's really all it is. Once you download, it creates a symbol add-in button in Word that allows you to enter special math symbols into your document.

I used the table format and would type each problem into a box. Once complete I would remove the borders so it would appear as a neat, clean word document.

I've also heard there were a few mentors that have allowed students who had issues to handwrite and scan into a pdf file (although not a common occurrence).

[hkhart]

Yes, using it as source. The problem below took me 15 minutes to transcribe.
Ok - lost some formatting! I think it is the whole "show your work" as that takes even more time after I have figured it out on paper!

f(x)=3x
g(x)=(□(1/4))x
= 1/(1/64)= 64

[bricabrac]

wow that took you 15mins? something is wrong. let me give an example, this could have been typed in word. Only special symbols should be entered using mathway.

I can't give an example because I'm not using it anymore, but I would use it for things like problems that had characters such as radicals, matrices, fractions, logs, super/subscripts. Stuff like that. I would use word for most and when I needed a special symbol I would enter it with mathtype.

[hkhart]

I think it will take more practice. I was having trouble with a fraction that had exponential. I figured I had to put exponential symbol first, then make one of those the fraction. Even more complicated is the fraction with an exponential fraction... I have shortcuts now in tool bar which is helping. Still think pen and paper is easier! Thanks for the feedback!

[irnbru]

I think it will take more practice. I was having trouble with a fraction that had exponential. I figured I had to put exponential symbol first, then make one of those the fraction. Even more complicated is the fraction with an exponential fraction... I have shortcuts now in tool bar which is helping. Still think pen and paper is easier! Thanks for the feedback!

You should be able to write out most of your symbolic working using a keyboard but getting around the format is the tricky bit.

You have the usual symbols +, -, /, *
Exponential ^
Subscript _
You can make judicious use of bracketing (), [], {}

If you provide a rough key, you have quite a bit of freedom if it's a person marking the paper, for example:

(3x^2)[xy+z^(1/2)]=0
1/[sin^2(cos(2xpi/9)]=e^x
abs(x>4)=3
16mod3

Completely agree that pencil and paper is way better! Apologies if any of this is gobbledygook but hope it helps.

[hkhart]

Yes thank you! I'm kind of a stickler for perfection... so making it look good and not being a gigantic font sitting in the middle of the paper (like what was happening!) made the work more tedious. I'm sure by the end of class, I'll be clicking and ticking away at the editor like no one else!

You should be able to write out most of your symbolic working using a keyboard but getting around the format is the tricky bit.

You have the usual symbols +, -, /, *
Exponential ^
Subscript _
You can make judicious use of bracketing (), [], {}

If you provide a rough key, you have quite a bit of freedom if it's a person marking the paper, for example:

(3x^2)[xy+z^(1/2)]=0
1/[sin^2(cos(2xpi/9)]=e^x
abs(x>4)=3
16mod3

Completely agree that pencil and paper is way better! Apologies if any of this is gobbledygook but hope it helps.