User Guide

Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 1
Introduction
About MathType
MathType
TM
is an intelligent mathematical equation editor designed for personal
computers running Microsoft Windows or the Apple MacOS. It’s an application
that allows you to create complex equations through simple point-and-click
techniques, and then use them in documents, Web pages, or markup-based
systems like
A
T
E
X
L
and MathML. Using MathType in conjunction with a word-
processing, page-layout, or graphics application, you can easily create tests and
class notes, technical reports, view-graphs, research papers, dissertations, slides,
and even entire books. MathType is also the professional version of the Equation
Editor that comes with Microsoft Word, Corel WordPerfect and many other
popular applications, and provides a seamless upgrade to the capabilities found
in Equation Editor.
MathType’s User Interface
As with most Windows applications, the MathType user interface is intuitive
and very visually oriented. For each basic mathematical construct, MathType
provides a template containing symbols and various empty slots. There are
around 175 templates in all, including fractions, radicals, sums, integrals,
products, matrices, and various types of brackets and braces. You create
equations simply by inserting templates and filling in their slots. You can insert
templates into the slots of other templates, so complex hierarchical formulas can
be built up in a natural way.
In addition, MathType provides on-screen icons for over 214 special
mathematical symbols, many of which are unique to MathType and are not
available in the standard Symbol font. You can insert these symbols into an
equation simply by clicking on them — you don’t need to remember anything
about fonts and keystroke combinations.
You can easily modify MathType’s user interface to speed up your work. It
provides a set of customizable toolbars on which you can place templates,
common equation fragments, or any character from any font on your computer.
Then you can insert these items into your equations with just a single click.
Any of MathType’s symbols and templates, and most of its other commands and
operations, can also be accessed via the keyboard, rather than the mouse. You
can even design a custom keyboard layout to fit your own way of working.
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