Type Command-shift-“-” to end subscripts.Type Command-shift-“-” to start subscripts.Typing this equation using just word processing tools took the following 21 steps. Let’s consider a simple physics formula for projectile motion, such as: However, the real power of Equation Editor is its ability to write complex formulas without resorting to superscripts and subscripts. F=ma from equation editor looks very similar to F=ma from the word processor however, since the Equation Editor generates graphics, you can’t edit the equation directly without double-clicking on it.Ĭonverting a document to a web page or other file may cause the graphic to be converted into inline GIFs that can no longer be edited without a paint program, so it’s a good idea to keep your original documents as word processor files. However, Equation Editor converts what you’ve typed into a graphic that is pasted in place. For example, typing F=ma generates an equation just like it does in the word processor. For most simple equations, you can just start typing with the keyboard keys. This is where you will construct your equation.
Equation Editor starts up and becomes the topmost application using this window: To call up Equation Editor, you can either locate the program on your hard drive (it was most likely installed in your AppleWorks folder) and open it like any other program, or, while using the word processor, choose Insert Equation from the Edit menu. It’s interesting to compare your old version of Equation Editor on Word 5.1 or ClarisWorks to what is included with Microsoft Word 98 – they’re virtually identical. If you write equations regularly, you might want to consider the upgrade. The vendor’s website goes into considerable detail explaining what the differences are between Mathtype and Equation Editor the gist of it is that many automation and simplification tools exist in Mathtype. It is a “lite” version of Mathtype, available for $129 ($99 educational) at. Equation Editor is sufficient for most users’ needs, particularly in high school (and even elementary school).Įquation Editor is actually a third party program licensed by both Apple and Microsoft for use in their word processing programs.
#Microsoft word equation editor mac how to
This article serves as a brief introduction to Equation Editor and how to learn more. For the novice, many tabs, spaces, underlines, and struggles with the Symbol font yield unsatisfactory results.īut for years, a tool has been embedded in both AppleWorks and Microsoft Word that allows you to create publication-quality equations with a minimum of fuss. For math and science teachers, entering equations into typewritten (or word processed) documents is often a challenge.