How to Insert Math Symbols in a Text Document Using Free Software?

[Mogarrr]

I'm not sure where else to put this thread.

Does anybody know (and if you do, please tell) how to get math symbols, like those I can type in the forums, into a text document.

I'm looking for free software for Notepad, Wordpad, Word2003 or LibreOfficeWriter.

 

[micromass]

Notepad, Wordpad, Word2003 or LibreOfficeWriter.

Forget those and use LaTeX instead. https://www.writelatex.com/

 

[DrGreg]

Word 2003 comes with its own "Equation Editor" . It won't accept the LaTeX you type in this forum, though; it has its own interface.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/word-help/insert-an-equation-using-equation-editor-HP005190247.aspx

 

[adjacent]

You can use "Mathtype" to put Latex(Those you type in forums) into word documents. However, it's not free,but it's worth the price.

 

[micromass]

You can use "Mathtype" to put Latex(Those you type in forums) into word documents. However, it's not free,but it's worth the price.

Since LaTeX is completely free, I don't see how it could ever be worth the price.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Since LaTeX is completely free, I don't see how it could ever be worth the price.

It's my understand that Mathtype is GUI equation editor. LaTeX does have a fair learning curve for novices.

 

[micromass]

LaTeX does have a fair learning curve for novices.

I always hear that, but I don't understand it. It took me exactly one day of messing around and I could make basic documents that I could hand in in classes. Getting used to the basics of LaTeX is really not difficult at all. It is actually doing the more advanced stuff (such as tinkering with the margins) that is difficult.

The site I linked is very good for creating LaTeX documents. It even has an entire sample document that you can use. The only thing you need to do then is knowing the different commands for math, but you should learn them easily.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

I always hear that, but I don't understand it. It took me exactly one day of messing around and I could make basic documents that I could hand in in classes.

Maybe because you're a genius ;)

 

[WWGD]

I'm not sure where else to put this thread.

Does anybody know (and if you do, please tell) how to get math symbols, like those I can type in the forums, into a text document.

I'm looking for free software for Notepad, Wordpad, Word2003 or LibreOfficeWriter.

To learn Latex, you can go to one of the subforums where LAtex is used and hit the "Quote" button, where you can see the source code. e.g., in the page :

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=760033 , the source I get after hitting

"Quote" is:

$\int_{a}^{b}ydx$

I also have a realtion

$x=f(y)$

i.e. x is an explicit function of y but I do not have y as an explicit
function of x. The relation between x and y is generally non linear.

Now I want to get the following definite integral

$\int_{a}^{b}\left[\int ydx\right]xdx$

i.e. $\int ydx$ multiplied by x evaluated over the interval [a,b].

Is there an analytic (not numeric) way to evaluate this integral using
for example mean value or similar averaging technique?[/QUOTE]

 

[WWGD]

To learn Latex, you can go to one of the subforums where Latex is used and hit the "Quote" button, where you can see the source code. e.g., in the page :

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=760033 , hit the "Quote" button.

 

[TurtleMeister]

It appears the op already knows how to use latex math in the forums. He/she wants to do the same thing in Notepad or Wordpad. The answer is, you cannot. At least not directly. However, there is a way you can do it with html. Go to the codecogs.com website and type your equation into the upper textbox. Copy the code that appears in the lower textbox and paste it in your Notepad text. Save it with the html extension and you will be able to view and print it from any web browser. Of course you will need to know some html to get your document formatted properly.

 

[gsal]

If you want to be a purist, I am thinking the OP's choice of thread title is an impossibility, to start with.

By definition, (math) symbols are not text and, as such, you cannot include symbols into text. Period. As mention above, a plain text editor (Notepad) will not be able to show you symbols and mathematical formulas, etc.

Sure, you can type html and latex in a text editor, but it looks like we all have the feeling that is not exactly what the OP meant.

The way I think of it is like this: text can only consist of the first 128 ASCII characters. If you are seeing something else, you are not looking at raw text...you are looking to some kind of intelligent rendering of underlying code be it rtf, html, latex, etc.

To be sure, text editors, word processors and document viewers are different kind of applications.

Having said that:

• You will not be able include and see in real time math symbols in Notepad. This is a plain editor program.
• I have never used Wordpad, but it looks like it is some minimal word-processing program. If it does not come with its own equation editor, you may be able to paste a "picture" of an equation.
• Current word-processor kind of program MS-Word, LibreOffice Writer, come with their own Equation Editors.

Alternately, if you think it is easier or you need to add an equation to a different kind of document, there are equation editor kind of programs...one was already mentioned above: Mathtype; which apparently it is not free. MathCast is, though.

 

[adjacent]

Or you can try out Lyx. It is a free GUI latex editing software which looks like MS word.

 

[FactChecker]

I'm not sure where else to put this thread.

Does anybody know (and if you do, please tell) how to get math symbols, like those I can type in the forums, into a text document.

I'm looking for free software for Notepad, Wordpad, Word2003 or LibreOfficeWriter.

Individual math symbols are usually in a font that Word has (or download a document of symbols from the web). Equations can be done in any language and the picture of it can be included in a Word document. I would not recommend switching the whole document to another language unless you have complete decision-making control of the document and no one else is involved.