If you read this blog regularly, you know that I am keen to provide learners with options for doing math work in a word processor. I believe this is essential for anyone who finds it difficult to use pencil and paper. So, this morning I was delighted to see a tweet by @njtechteacher (Ann Oro) mentioning that Google Docs has a built in equation editor.
Equation Editor in Google Docs means that anyone with a computer that can go online is able to do his or her math work in a word processor. The built in equation editor is easy to use, and offers a convenient way of inserting mathematical notation and maths symbols into a document. Perhaps the only thing that would make this equation editor more useful would be keyboard shortcuts for each of the symbols.
In a Google document, the equation editor is accessed by clicking on the Insert menu in a document and then selecting Equation.
This will open the toolbar shown below. Click on New equation to get started and then select from one of the palettes of symbols to obtain whatever notation is required.
UPDATE: It is helpful to be aware that the ‘Enter’ key is literally the key to using this equation editor. For example, after selecting the notation for fractions, for seven eighths you type 7 followed by ‘Enter’, then type 8 followed by ‘Enter’.
February 12, 2012 at 9:33 pm
I am always surprised to walk into “1:1″ schools and discover that no one who teaches math knows about equation editor in Microsoft Word, Open Office, or Google Docs. And how many kids are still beaten up about handwriting the equations or the operations when these free simple tools along with GraphCalc or other downloadable graphing calculators which will let you record and copy/paste all of your work, or even online calculators including the graphing calculator toolbar for Firefox. Also, don’t forget the Firemath add in for Firefox which allows you to work math and scientific notation anywhere you work online.
February 13, 2012 at 7:09 am
Thanks for the nice write up of the tool, Paul. I’ll point it out to the teacher who asked me how to do equations in Google Docs. I hadn’t heard about the Firemath add-in, Ira. I’ll have to give that a try, too.
February 13, 2012 at 10:29 am
good to know, do we have a language translator too, i have a couple of old scripts trying to decode it… please advice
February 13, 2012 at 11:29 am
[npte: comment box will not accept "http" so links might need to be pasted into address bar]
For FireMath (including instructions, etc)
http://www.firemath.info/
For GraphCalc (PC-Only) which allows easy copy/paste of anything in the calculator window into any Word Doc format
http://www.graphcalc.com/
For SpeedCrunch PC. Linux, MacOS) another downloadable on-screen calculator
speedcrunch.org/en_US/index.html
For Chrome, try the LaTeX editor
/www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&sqi=2&ved=0CDsQFjAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fchrome.google.com%2Fwebstore%2Fdetail%2Fmemomplajimieaolghjegbbbpeckcinp&ei=ISo5T8u9KoHw0gHV8rilAg&usg=AFQjCNGz1gUnYKE5MU3DK4iY-i-kNteHaA&cad=rja
And for Physics calculators, there are great ones built into Periodic Table Explorer
http://www.portablefreeware.com/?id=1735
See Video Supports at
mits.cenmi.org/VideoList/TabId/1439/CategoryId/47/Curriculum-Supports.aspx
and
mits.cenmi.org/VideoList/VideoPlayer/TabId/1585/VideoId/478/Freedom-Stick-Math–Science.aspx
February 13, 2012 at 5:33 pm
Nice!
Thanks for highlighting that, Paul.
I am (pleasantly) surprised to see Google incorporate so many powerful features in its free products. Even the ability to produce graphs from its main page was kept pretty low-key:
insidesearch.blogspot.com/2011/12/showing-some-love-to-math-lovers.html
But I am not complaining!
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