Use of the Equation Editor Steven A.

Jones
Last Updated: July 19, 2010 Louisiana e!h University
The Word 2007 Equation Editor
When the equation editor should be used
The equation editor should be used to format your equations. In some cases you can use simple
Word commands, such as superscript (<control>+) and subscript (<control>=) to format simple
ariables, as !hen you !ish to say, "L
#
is the len$th of the beam,% but in doin$ so, you should
pay attention to the font in !hich the ariable is displayed. &or e'ample, ariables should be
formatted in italic font, !hile function names and units of measure should be in re$ular font. (It
is often easiest to use a shortcut (ey, as described belo!, to )ump into the equation editor, een if
you are simply typin$ a ariable name).
Why the equation editor should be used
*ome equations !ill be nearly impossible to represent !ithout this editor. +thers !ill simply
loo( unprofessional. ,ompare an equation created !ithout the equation editor-
dy a'
.
+ b' + c
/// = /////////////// sin(),
d' (' 0 )
.
to one created !ith the equation editor.
The second form loo(s better, requires about a third of the time to create, and is far easier to
modify. 1ou can sae substantial time if you become familiar !ith the shortcut commands
!ithin the equation editor. This document describes the use of the editor aailable in Word
.223. This enironment differs from the (eystro(e/based editor that !as aailable in preious
ersions of Word. It4s synta' is similar to that of Te a typesettin$ pro$ram that pre/dates
5icrosoft Word.
How to enter the equation editor quickly
The quic(est !ay to enter the equation editor is the shortcut (ey <alt>= (hold do!n the <alt>
(ey !hile you type "=%). 1ou can also clic( on "6quation% under the "Insert% tab, but this
sequence can become cumbersome !hen you are settin$ a lar$e number of equations or definin$
multiple ariables !ithin te't. The need to moe your hands from the (eyboard to the mouse (or
mouse pad) slo!s your typin$.
While in the equation editor, you can use arious symbols and (ey!ords instead of the more
cumbersome menu bar. 7 more complete description of the codes used by the equation editor
and the synta' and philosophy behind it is $ien by 8ardner 9#:.
#. *in$le characters, such as _, ^ and that hae special meanin$s.
.. ;ey!ords such as !al"ha that !ill be translated to symbols (in this case,

).
<. ;ey!ords such as =sqrt and =oerbrace !ill modify e'pressions that are correctly $rouped.
1
Use of the Equation Editor Steven A. Jones
Last Updated: July 19, 2010 Louisiana e!h University
#ote$ *paces are important to the equation editor because they tell the editor !hen it is time to
translate a part of the equation you are typin$. Where it is necessary for clarity in this document,
a space !ill be represented by the sequence <sp>.
%nsertion o& 'in(le 'y)bols
;ey!ords can be used to quic(ly insert a limited number of frequently used symbols. ;ey!ords
are case/sensitie (e.$. =ri$htarro! is different from =>i$htarro!).
To insert Ty"e *lternati+e
=infty (?ote- it is not =infinity)

=ri$htarro! (try also =leftarro!) />

=uparro! (try also =do!narro!)

=leftri$htarro!

=>i$htarro!
=partial
=nabla
=le <=
=$e >=
a b a=times b
a b a=dot b
a b K a=dots b
a b L a=cdots b
=in

=appro'

=ne @=

=equi
:
=sim
;
=simeq

=con$ A=

=propto

=e'ists
=forall

=therefore
t
=pm +/
=subset

=an$le
%nsertion o& '"aces
Because spaces hae special meanin$ in the equation editor, and because the equation editor
usually handles spacin$ appropriately, the spacebar cannot usually be used to add spaces !ithin
equations. Co!eer, spaces can be inserted !ith the follo!in$ (ey!ords- (;ey!ords =medsp,
=thic(sp and thic(sp also e'ist, but =medsp is a not/so/useful synonym for no space at all, and
=thic(sp and =thic(sp are synonyms for =thinsp).
=hairsp a small space e.$.
x x
=thinsp a !ider space e.$.
x x
2
Use of the Equation Editor Steven A. Jones
Last Updated: July 19, 2010 Louisiana e!h University
,rou"in( and -rackets
The equation editor causes brac(ets (such as 9:, DE and ( )) to $ro! to the siFe of the e'pression
!ithin them. Co!eer, parentheses are the $roupin$ character and !ill not display !hen used as
such. To force parentheses to display, you must double them. To preent brac(ets from bein$
reformatted, precede them by the "=% character. *ome e'amples follo!.
Ty"e To .is"lay /o))ents
9a@b:
a
b
1
1
]
The "@% command for fractions is described in
a later section.
Da@bE
a
b

' ;

(a@b)
a
b
_

,
Garentheses display.
a@(b+#)
#
a
b +
Garentheses used for $roupin$ do not display.
a@((b+#))
( ) #
a
b +
Houble parentheses display.
D a=atop b =close y
a
y
b

'

The =close (ey!ord completes the opened

brace.
The =atop command is described in a later
section.
I(aIbIf)@(c+d)I
a b f
c d +
The parentheses are, a$ain, used for $roupin$.
IaIbI@(c+d)I
f
a b
c d +
y==9a@b=: 9 :
a
y
b
Bac(slashes preent 9 and : from $ro!in$.
J = =open 'K<@< ILaKb
<
<
b
a
x
Q
The ertical bar $ro!s !ith the siFe of the
e'pression bet!een =open and I.
'u"erscri"ts and 'ubscri"ts
The L and K (eys are used to insert superscripts and subscripts. 8roupin$ is important because it
distin$uishes bet!een .
n
F
and
.
n
F . Terms can be $rouped by enclosin$ them in parentheses,
!here the parentheses themseles do not print. *ome simple e'amples follo!-
Ty"e To .is"lay
'Li=times yKn
n
i
x y
'K(i+#)
# n
x
+
(?otice that the parentheses do not sho!. *ee "$roupin$.%)
'LiKn
n
i
x
&LnK((+#)
# k
n
F
+

"
Use of the Equation Editor Steven A. Jones
Last Updated: July 19, 2010 Louisiana e!h University
&L(nK((+#)) # k
n
F
+ (?otice that the parentheses are needed.)
(L2KM)C
M
2
H
.i+ision and 'tackin(
Nse the "@% character for diision. The equation editor !ill reformat the e'pression to place the
numerator aboe the denominator. To preent ertical buildup of the fraction, use "=@% instead of
"@% alone. 7s !ith superscripts and subscripts, you can use parentheses to $roup e'pressions into
a numerator and denominator. 6'amples follo!-
Ty"e To .is"lay /o))ents
a@b
a
b
(a+b)@(c+d)
a b
c d
+
+
Garentheses do not print.
((a+b))@(c+d)
( ) a b
c d
+
+
The double parentheses are needed so that the
sin$le parentheses print in the numerator.
((a+b)@(c+d) + n)@(f(')
+eK(#=@.))<sp>
( )
#@ .
a b
n
c d
f x e
+
+
+
+
The "@% is preceded by "=% in the e'ponential to
proide a horiFontal fraction (#@ . instead of
#
.
).
If you need to stac( e'pressions !ithout the horiFontal diision line, use =atop or =matri'. The
ertical bar "I% can also be used in place of =atop. 7nother alternatie is to use <shift><enter> to
add a soft return !ithin the equation. With <shift><enter>, you may need to first type the upper
and lo!er part of the e'pression on the same line, and then $o bac( and insert the soft return.
Ty"e To .is"lay /o))ents
a=atop b
a
b
(a+b)=atop(c+d)
a b
c d
+
+
Garentheses do not print.
f(')=D=matri'<sp> (=infty
'=2O2 '=ne 2 =close)
( )
2
2 2
x
f x
x

'

The O character ends a ro! of

the matri'. The parentheses that
enclose the matri' are necessary.
7=9=matri'<sp>
('L##P'L#.P'L#<O
'L.#P'L..P'.<O
QL<#P'L<.P'L<<:)
## #. #<
.# .. .<
<# <. <<
x x x
A x x x
x x x
1
1

1
1
]
The P character separates
columns of the matri'.
Cello<shift><enter>There
Hello
There
9 =phantom<sp>(a=atop b) :
A
1

1
]
The =phantom command creates
an ob)ect the siFe of the thin$ in
parentheses, but does not print it,
so you can create, for e'ample,
#
Use of the Equation Editor Steven A. Jones
Last Updated: July 19, 2010 Louisiana e!h University
lar$e empty brac(ets.
=phantom<sp>(a=atop b) 9
=smash<sp>(a=atop b) =close
9
a
b
=smash creates the ob)ect, but
ma(es its siFe Fero so that the
enclosin$ brac(et does not $ro!.
'quare 0oots
The square root (ey!ord =sqrt operates on the ar$ument that follo!s it. The equation editor also
has (ey!ords for hi$her order roots. 6'amples are-
=sqrt ' x
=sqrt('+#) # x +
=cbrt('+#)
<
# x +
=qdrt('+#)
R
# x +
(/b=pm=sqrt(bK. /Rac))@.a
.
R
.
b b ac
a
t
%nte(rals1 2roducts and 'u)s
Inte$rals, products and sums are inserted !ith the (ey!ords =sum, =int and =prod. Nse subscripts
and superscripts to insert the limits. 6'amples are-
=sumL(n=2)K? 'Kn
2
N
n
n
x

=prodL(n=2)K? 'Kn
2
N
n
n
x

=intL/=inftyK=infty <sp> <sp> f(t) eK/i=ome$a t<sp>dt ( )

i t
f t e dt

=iint f(') d' ( ) f x dx

=iiint f(') d' ( ) f x dx

=oint f(',y) dl ( ) , f x y dl

3ont /han(es
The equation editor s!itches bet!een "ariable style% or "function style%, dependin$ on !hether
it interprets part of an equation as a ariable or a function (compare the t!o styles in the equation
( ) x y sin
, !hich !ould not loo( ri$ht if it !ere displayed as
( ) x sin y
). The ariable style
can be oerridden !ith seeral commands. *ee 8ardner 9.: for more information.
To %nsert 4se
a script character (e.$.
F
) =script& 5#otice that there is no s"ace between !scri"t and 67
re$ular te't 6nclose in quotes. 6.$. "a%= %b% produces a=b instead of a b .
italic te't to$$le italic on and off !ith <control>i
bold te't to$$le bold on and off !ith <control>b
hello there <control>i hello <control>I there
hello there <control>i hello <control>b there
$
Use of the Equation Editor Steven A. Jones
Last Updated: July 19, 2010 Louisiana e!h University
a lar$e character
x a b +
*elect the character. Then, on the Hesi$n ribbon, under the
"Tools% $roup, clic( on "?ormal Te't.% ?o! $o to the "Come%
ribbon and chan$e the font siFe. 8o bac( to the Hesi$n ribbon
andn clic( on "?ormal Te't% a$ain to $et bac( to the correct font
desi$n (e.$. italic if it is a aiable).S
( ) { }
f x L
=scriptT Df(')E
( ) x x iy +
'==>e('+iy)
( ) y x iy +
y==Im('+iy)
8 *orry about this leel of complication. There should )ust be a command li(e =siFe.R to chan$e
the point siFe, but there is not. 7lso, if you try to chan$e font siFe !ithout first clic(in$ on
"?ormal Te't,% the font siFe of the entire equation chan$es, rather than )ust the characters you
selected.
*ccent 9arks1 :+erbars and 4nderbars
,ertain (ey!ords can be used to place accents, oerbars, oerbraces and other modifiers on
characters and e'pressions. 6'amples are-
Ty"e To .is"lay /o))ents
=oerbrace &K%force% =
=oerbrace(ma)K%5ass times
7cceleration%
} }
&orce 5ass times 7cceleration
F ma
+erbar te't is introduced !ith K,
as if it !ere a superscript.
=oerbar(a+b)
a b +
(a+b) =bar<sp><sp> also !or(s
(note the different placement for
=bar s =oerbar)
=oerparen(a+b)
a b +
=underbar(a+b) a b +
*ome accents are desi$ned to fit oer a sin$le character. The (ey!ord must be typed after the
modified character and follo!ed by t!o spaces.
'=bar<sp><sp> x
'=Bar<sp><sp> x
'=chec(<sp><sp> x
(
'=dot<sp><sp> x&
'=ddot<sp><sp> x &&
'=hat<sp><sp> U x
'=tilde<sp><sp> x%
'=ec<sp><sp> x
r
'=hec<sp><sp> x
v
'<sp>=de$ree ",% x ,
'=tec<sp><sp> x
t
Grime mar(s also follo! the e'pression that they modify, but are follo!ed by only a sin$le
space-
'=prime<sp> x
'=pprime<sp> x
'=ppprime<sp> x
%
Use of the Equation Editor Steven A. Jones
Last Updated: July 19, 2010 Louisiana e!h University
,reek *l"habet
To include a 8ree( letter in an equation, spell the name of the letter, preceded by the bac(slash
character (=). If the name be$ins !ith a lo!er case letter, a lo!er case 8ree( letter is inserted. If
the name be$ins !ith an upper case letter, an upper case 8ree( letter is inserted. The table belo!
proides the names for each of the lo!er case 8ree( letters (!ith some ariations).
=alpha

=beta

=chi

=delta
=epsilon

=phi

=$amma

=eta

=iota

=arphi

=(appa
=lamda
=mu

=nu

=omicron

=pi

=theta
=artheta
=rho

=si$ma

=tau

=upsilon

=arpi

=ome$a

='i

=psi

=Feta

Equation #u)bers
6quation numbers can be added to equations !ith the V character. &or e'ample,
f(') = a'K.+b'+cV6q. . becomes
( )
.
f x ax bx c + +
6q. .
0e&erences
#. *ar$ent, 5 III, "Nnicode nearly plain/te' encodin$ of mathematics,% +ffice 7uthorin$
*erices, 5icrosoft ,orporation, .22W (http-@@unicode.or$@notes@tn.X@NT?.X/
GlainTe't5ath/..pdf).
.. 8ardner Y, "*hortcuts for the Word .223 equation editor,%
(http-@@datanin)a.files.!ordpress.com@.223@2M@!ord23shortcuts.pdf).
&