Displaying mathematical expressions/equations/arguements

[brusier]

I can see myself utilizing this web forum from time to time to seek advice, opinions, help etc.

Some of this may come in the form of mathemetical expressions or equations.

Is there a good program that allows for data input for mathematical expressions in the conventional format e.g. indicating X^2 by actually placing the 2 on the upper right side of the X. Or, by indicating the sq rt of a value by writing a radical over the expression.

I noticed the icons at the top of the message field and am experimenting with them, but they seem minimal.

^X2

anyway, I'm just trying to find a way to easily (relatively) and clearly indicate mathematical expressions and arguements.

thanks.

 

[mbisCool]

http://www.eng.cam.ac.uk/help/tpl/textprocessing/ltxprimer-1.0.pdf

Or just google latex tutorial.

 

[qntty]

http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Wiki/index.php/LaTeX a tutorial that focuses on typing mathematics

You can skip the parts under download and basics and go right to math if you just need to use it on the forum. Note that this forum doesn't recognize $ as a delimiter to start math mode, you'll have to use the "tex" tag.

 

[brusier]

\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
The solution to
\[
\sqrt{x} = 5
\]
is
\[
x=25.
\]
\end{document}

 

[brusier]

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\begin{document}
\begin{align*}
2x^2 + 3(x-1)(x-2) & = 2x^2 + 3(x^2-3x+2)\\
&= 2x^2 + 3x^2 - 9x + 6\\
&= 5x^2 - 9x + 6
\end{align*}
\end{document}