Mathematical Typesetting Resources
The resources listed here are provided as a convenience for those who wish
to learn to typeset mathematics. Here are some of the options:
- The old-fashioned way: If you have
never used a mathematical typesetting program and your time
is limited, your would probably be better off writing by hand, so that you
can spend your time learning
mathematical concepts and techniques rather than
learning to use a complicated computer typesetting system.
- Microsoft Word: Most versions of Microsoft Word have a built-in equation editor (though in some older versions, it is an option that has to be installed separately). The version in Word 2007 for Windows seems to be the easiest to use, has the most flexible repertoire of mathematical formulas, and produces the best-looking output; but other versions are adequate for simple equation formatting. If you only expect to be producing occasional
documents containing mathematics, and your formulas are not too complicated, this is probably the simplest typesetting option available.
- MathType: If you want more flexibility and better-looking formulas, it might be worth learning to use MathType, a stand-alone formula editor that works on both
Windows and Mac computers, and can be used to produce nicely formatted mathematical
formulas for Microsoft Word, LaTeX, and web pages.
- LaTeX: If you expect to be writing a lot of mathematics
in your life, sooner or later you will have to learn to use LaTeX.
This is a dialect (or more precisely a package of macros) for Donald Knuth's
TeX mathematical typesetting system, and has become the de facto standard
for typesetting mathematical articles, books, and research papers. If you
already know something about LaTeX, or if you have the time to invest in
learning it for this course, your investment will pay off over the long term.
But be warned that it is not an easy program to learn, so you'll have to
be prepared to devote some time to it.
With these caveats in mind, here are some resources for obtaining and learning
about these programs.
Microsoft Word
MathType
LaTeX
John M. Lee