User guide

Chapter 11: Using OpenOffice.org Math
Vectors and Matrices
Vectors and Matrices are created by the 'stack' and 'matrix' commands respectively. These
commands are used with the octothorp # to indicate elements, and double octothorp ## to
indicate new line. An empty element is indicated by structural braces {}.
Vector
Vectors are composed using the 'stack' command as follows:
Command Input Field Formula
left (stack {A # B # a+b=c } right )

A
B
a b= c

left( stack {alignr 1 # 2 } right) + left( stack { 2 #
3 } right) + left( stack { 3 # 1 } right)

1
2



2
3



3
1

Matrix
Matrices are composed using the matrix command as follows:
Command Input Field Formula
left( matrix { 1 # 2 ## 2 # 3 } right) = x

1 2
2 3

= x
abs matrix { a # b ## c # {} } = y
∣
a b
c
∣
= y
abs matrix { {1 over 2} # b ## c # d } = z
∣
1
2
b
c d
∣
= z
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