Typing Mathematical Symbols in Microsoft Word
I frequently have to place small mathematical expressions into the text of documents that I write for work. This is not easy in Microsoft Word. You need to access a variety of menus to apply subscripts or superscripts, or to insert Greek symbols.
I have discovered a neat trick for making math easier to type in Microsoft Word. You can use the autocorrect function to replace an unformatted expression with a formatted one. I use the unit inverse femtobarn frequently. I know that is hard to believe, but it is true. I can now type fb-1 and have fb-1 appear. Other examples are typing -> and have appear → or typing +/- and having ± appear.
First write the expression and format it correctly. Such as fb-1. Highlight the expression and go to the tools menu. Choose autocorrect options. You would see fb-1 in the box. Click on the formatted text button, and it will change to fb-1. Now go the box to the left of fb-1 and type in fb-1. Click add and OK. The original fb-1 may have turned into fb-1 . I am not sure why it does that, but if you type fb-1 it will correctly turn into fb-1.
The text you type does not have to be identical to the text that appears. I type K_s and it appears as Ks. The same for B_s making Bs.
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April 10, 2006 at 11:37 pm
You spelled “believe” wrong. Your blog needs a spellchecker.
January 28, 2010 at 7:47 pm
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April 11, 2006 at 9:15 am
All of the math made it hard to run the spellchaecker.
April 13, 2006 at 5:18 am
…and besides, you need to use LaTeX… Microsoft Word is a bit more than ghetto.
April 13, 2006 at 8:57 am
I used to be a LaTeX expert and used all of the time. I have it installed in my computer, and I use it to generate documents that go direct to PDF or the printer. If you look at my choices to make subscripted expressions you can see that, B_s.
It is not option for me when I have to pass documents on to others who do not know or have LaTeX.
July 3, 2006 at 8:55 am
This is a good idea that I’ve been using a bit to put math in PowerPoint. In fact, I’m considering entering into autocorrect all (or at least the ones I use most) of the latex math commands and their corresponding output selected from the symbol font. That way I can type \times and get the symbol font’s “x” times character, etc.
My main concern is then if I can backup/restore/publish the autocorrection translation table.
July 3, 2006 at 10:15 am
There are ways to do it. I was able to find it by googling when I first wrote the post.
September 16, 2006 at 8:09 am
Wow, thanks so much. I could never work out how to do those things, it was realy useful. When ever i wanted to put in a ° (degrees) sign i had to copy and paste one!
September 18, 2006 at 8:41 am
This is the post that gets the most hits from search engines. I keep thinking I should expand it, since not everyone may know how to get the symbols in to begin with.
March 28, 2007 at 9:48 pm
Does anyone know how to make a shortcut for objects created in Microsoft Equation 3.0? I use abbreviations such as “c” with a line over it for “with”, and “s” with a line over it for “without”. It is rather time consuming to click, Insert, Object & create the abbreviation in Microsoft Equation 3.0 each time I want to use it.
April 10, 2007 at 2:05 am
I want to have this software
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April 10, 2007 at 2:18 am
realy useful. When ever i wanted to put in a ° (degrees) sign i had to copy and paste one!
April 10, 2007 at 2:19 am
realy useful. When ever i wanted to put in a ° (degrees) sign i had to copy and paste one!
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What does double parentheses mean???
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July 26, 2017 at 3:16 am
I am Manoharan S, India. I am typing Mathematics in word straightaway without any equation editor help. It is quite easier. I know very well commands to make any fractions. I am doing this job for Government Mathematics Books for the last 15 years.
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