Equation Editor

[Rkzsy]

I'm a secondary school maths teacher who has been using AS for about 4 years (currently on AS2) and have not yet found any successful way of entering equations onto a flipchart other than pasting them as graphic images from the equation editor in WORD. There is no square root symbol, entering powers is possible but very time consuming (you have to go up, up, up, shrink, shrink, shrink every time) and the only way to enter algebraic fractions seems to be to use the underline tool.

Has anyone found better ways?

Promethean, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, why can't the equation editor in Word be used as a floating applet?

Chris G

[wilcogirl]

I too have asked this same question, and the only answer that I have gotten is to take a picture of the equation that I have written in math type/ equation editor. It does work, but now I have just gone to writng the equations that the symbols that I use the most when I am writng flipcharts, I just add to my library. Works well enough to help me get through both aglebra 1 and algebra 2, and geometry. :)

[markrobinson]

An integrated equation editor facility is noted for possible inclusion in future product releases. As you have identified the Digital Science Equation Editor is very popular and the application with most support and resources available for it.

If you have equation editor installed you can actually drag the Equation Editor application to the Activstudio toolbar - where it can be launched easily.

The program is usually found at:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Equation


In version 3 - you will find Windows mode is ideal for shifting between applications running at the same time when editing.

Version 3 also introduces mixed fraction creation for the fraction creator tool this allows you to create correct looking fractions.

For a library of symbols - try here:

http://www.prometheanplanet.com/uk/server/show/ConResource.9449

[Rkzsy]

Using 'drag and drop' or 'copy' from Equation Editor is a less than satisfactory workaround and shows that the needs of a secondary school maths department are not well catered for by the AS software. The image quality of the equation is very poor and when increased becomes very blurry. As it is an image, it cannot be edited or added to as part of classroom activity. Also, as it is an image, it cannot form part of the text, so having an equation within text is impossible, unless the text is also copied over from WORD, in which case, why bother using AS?

NB the fraction recognition tool, only recognises fractions that are handwritten and only works when a screen is detected, so pre preparing flipcharts involving fractions away from the classroom is impossible.

I think AS is fantastic in so many ways and has revolutionised the way I teach, but its ill thought out shortcommings and its desire to do things differently to the accepted windows norms is illogical and hugely frustrating. Why reinvent the wheel and force AS users into a steeper learning curve than necessary? (eg shrink/grow in word increases and decreases font sizes, whatever they may be, thus preserving the look of the text. In AS an equation with an 'x squared' in it cannot be 'grown' because the powers default to a new font size which becomes the same as the size of the normally sized text.)

:confused:

[markrobinson]

As noted we do review all feature requests and Equation Editing is one we are keenly aware of.

As with many companies - we do not have the resources of companies the size of Microsoft or Digital Science to both replicate and potentially rework their types of applications for the special circumstance of the Interactive Whiteboard quickly.

We first studied the support already available for such an application - and discovered that virtually every tutorial for teachers and students references the digital Science Equation Editor that is bundled with Office. Hence my comments about how you can use them side by side today.

We are also excited by the range of specialist applications that we accredit for Maths Teachers and that are very powerful on an IWB and can offer ways for users to move beyond powerpoint like presentation to dynamic and direct live manipulation of mathematical data.

I certainly think we cannot hope to replicate the power of tools such as Cabri, xThink MathJournal, Mathmatica, etc. and keep every user happy But we can try to ensure out tools work well in conjunction with them.

A user can already 'link file host' complementary application files within AS pages - so that the user can exploit AS to keep notes and scaffold the lesson - while using best of breed applications to deliver key teaching points.

If you have a visual formula tool - such as the updated Digital Science Equation Editor that can be bought - you can save formulas as files and link to them.

Another technique that could be worth exploration is to install a MATHS font...

http://www.mozilla.org/projects/mathml/fonts/

While these are not available for commerical use - a school can download and install them. If you use the MathFont symbols then they will respect the "+" and "-" text object modifiers.

There are also a number of math symbols (that are resizable fonts) in the menus of the text editor box menu... (right pointing arrow at side of text editor panel)

Hope that helps for now.

[markrobinson]

If you activate the Activmarker (on dashboard of version 3) you can also use other MS Office application and add annotatiosn directly into them.

A case may be Excel - where you may want to combine its powerful maths and graphing capabilities with annotations that exist as "objects" within Excel itself for subsequent sharing or review.

[drnurre]

The square roots and such is a pain because you have to cut and paste and then cannot edit once you put it in the flipchart.
But I have found an easy way to do subscripts and exponents. I just type it all in including the exponents/subscripts in the font I want (usually 36) then I go back and quickly highlight what should be an exponent/subscript and change the font size and move up or down.

[kathleen]

I just recently heard about Mathmatica...is this a software we can recommend to high schools who are having challenges with equation creating??

Is anyone out there using Mathmatica who could comment on classroom applications...All new to me...

Thanks!

[LisaD]

I've heard about it but have not used it.

It is by this company:

http://www.wolfram.com/

Lisa

[rexboggs5]

... entering powers is possible but very time consuming (you have to go up, up, up, shrink, shrink, shrink every time ...

I can at least help with this problem. You can get superscripts and subscripts in one click. From a previous post ...

"There are actually 2 wordprocessors in Studio and Primary right now. The reasons for this are too long (and boring) to explain here.This is dictated by the 'Multi-Language Text Edit Support' option under Language Settings.When this is ticked, you are effectively switching to using a Unicode wordprocessor in Studio. This version has the [one-click] sub/superscript option you are describing.A word of caution. The unicode wordprocessor may create flipcharts that contain text that is not fully compatible with earlier versions of Activstudio/Primary (also not compatible on the MAC until v3 comes out), so if you plan to distribute your flipcharts your target audience should ideally be Windows

**

From Rex:
I changed to the unicode word processor for this reason. so superscripts and subscripts are now a one-click affair. So far it doesn't seem to have impacted on other things I do.

Cheers

Rex

[wilcogirl]

I too have done this and it does work beautifully. Rex is quite right about the text on earlier versions and macs with out 3.0. I wonder if when we upload our flipcharts, we can delineate between whether we have ticked multi and the version we are building the chart in. This might help when users download and not understand why the text comes up as html.

[amyskinnerjohnson]

I tried Mark's suggestion and it works really well. Just open Eq. Editor and copy and paste it as an image. The program opens right over the flipchart without having to open word. I teach high school math as well and can get any equation I need.

[lbogan]

Could someone help me with the Equation Editor? I have the Equation Editor in my toolbar (with the help from some of your comments). When I open it, I can create a problem, highlight it, and then attempt to paste it into my flipchart. However, when I try to edit/paste, the flipchart does not give me the option to paste. I cannot figure out how to transfer my equation into my flipchart. Can someone advise? I have read all of these comments about using the Equation Editor, and they are wonderful. I just need a little more help. ????

[davidlloyd]

Welcome to the forum. The attached page is what you should be seeing if you right click over a blank area of a page. Paste is the second on the list and the equation will be pasted in as an object. If you still can't do it, post your flipchart and I'll have a look at it.

[rexboggs5]

I can create a problem, highlight it, and then attempt to paste it into my flipchart. However, when I try to edit/paste, the flipchart does not give me the option to paste.

Two suggestions.

1. After copying the equation from equation editor, make the flipchart the active window. Then right-click and select Paste, From Clipboard, Image.

OR

2. Download and install the free 30 day trial of MathType (Google it to find the website). MathType is the big brother of Equation Editor. I have MathType on my toolbar. After I type my equation in MathType, I can just drag and drop it onto flipchart page (which EE can't do). After the 30 day trial is over, I was told that MathType would revert to MathType Lite. Which it did. Some of the nice shortcuts are missing, but I can still create any equation I wish. And drag and drop still works.

I suppose my 3rd suggestion is after the 30 day free trial finishes, buy MathType. If you are writing a lot of math, the time you save may be worth the purchase price.

Good luck!

Rex

[lbogan]

To davidbunting and rexboggs5 - thank you both for responding to my email. I really appreciate your help. I tried David's advice, and I still had trouble with the Equation Editor. Since Rex told me that MathType would work with Activstudio, I decided to give it a try. I downloaded the software today, and it works like a charm. I had heard of MathType before but just never took the time to upgrade. I didn't want to upgrade now if the Activstudio did not accept it. But, I'm glad to say that it did, and writing equations, fraction, square roots, etc., is the best. I'm going to pass this info to my co-worker who teachers Calculus. She, too, was having the same problems as I was with trying to use the special characters, and she has not been using her board to its potential. I think she will be as thrilled as I was after seeing how this works as easily as it did for me. Thanks again to you both. You are great professionals. Hope I can call on you again in the near future.

:D

[davidlloyd]

To davidbunting and rexboggs5 - Hope I can call on you again in the near future.


That's what the forum is for - we all try to help each other where we can. :):)