Math in word processors

[19652022]

Is there any way to prepare calculation reports that looks like word processor document and in the same time it can show formulas and calculation.

 

[francesca]

Microsoft Word can do simple formulae (Insert --> Formula and "Toggle Field Codes" to reveal the formula). If you need something complicated, however, you can embed an Excel spreadsheet in a Word file.

 

[SlideRuleEra]

Microsoft Word has a feature called "Equation Editor", but it is not included in a "default" installation of Word. It can be added to your computer from the MS Office CD. This applies starting with Word 97 to the current edition.

There are a number of tutorials on the internet, here is one

http://www.internet4classrooms.com/msword_equation.htm

http://www.SlideRuleEra.net

 

[IRstuff]

You can use the Equation Editor that came with Microsoft Office.

Alternately, there are a number of programs that natively support live equations such as Mathcad, or perhaps:

http://www.livemath.com/

TTFN

 

[IRstuff]

or:

http://www.livemath.com/matheq/

TTFN

 

[mechj]

If you are running a Linux machine, LaTeX is an excellent tool to display equations in text.

"Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school." Albert Einstein

 

[abeltio]

19652022,
if i understood your question correctly you need a report that will display the formulae used and the results of applying those formulae...

word can display with the equation editor a very complex formula with exponents and sub-indices, root symbols... the works... but WILL NOT replace the symbols by the values...

e.g. you can write in word with the equation editor:

A = [π][⋅]r[²]

but it will NOT replace:
[π] = 3.1416
r = 3 ft

A = 3.1416[⋅]3[²]

and calculate:
A = 28.27 ft[²]

the only way that i know of doing something like that is doing it all in excel
and then embed the spreadsheet into word to make it look nice and add all the trimmings like a border and a box with the company logo and eng'd, drawn, approved boxes etc...

the word equation editor is not very user friendly...

HTH



saludos.
a.

 

[ColourfulFigsnDiags]

If you are running a Linux machine, LaTeX is an excellent tool to display equations in text.

LaTeX is without a doubt the best option available, beautifully formated reports, excellent equation writing abilities ... I wrote my entire thesis in LaTeX, 89,000 odd words 150 odd equations ... best decision I ever made, you tell a figure to be 13.24mm from the top of page 125, and it will always be exactly 13.24mm from the top of page 125 and will not move!

Unfortunately most people could not be bothered (read: are too lazy) to learn it. You can get a good LaTeX emulator for windows called WinEDT, and you need to install the LaTeX compilers too.

/begin{eqnarray} /label{eqn:einstein}
E&=&mc^{2}//
c=/sqrt{/frac{E}{m}}
/end{eqnarray}

(Sorry, the first equation I could think of )

Read the Eng-Tips Site Policies at FAQ731-376

 

[19652022]

Thanks Abeltio. That is exactly what i meant.But may be due to my poor command of embedding and linking technique the excel sheets do not fit neatly in the word document.

 

[zdas04]

Go with the equation editor in Microsoft Word. I did my theses and several documents for publication using this and the result was very nice. If you ever want to copy an equation from Word to PowerPoint (for example), you might want to look at the Microsoft-approved add in called MathType from Design Sciences since it lets you change colors of your equation and do some other nice editing (it costs about $20).

The nicest thing about these programs is that you see the equation in final-form within the editor. I've used the "/begin /end" syntax and for complex equations you have to be really committed to your word processor to get good results.

David

 

[Kwan]

The equation editor is awesome for presenting formulas in a report. However, I find it uses lots and lots of disk space. Some of my reports got quite large. Now I'm using normal text. For example: F = M/A. Not as nice to look at, but it's quite efficient.

 

[PennStateIE]

MathCAD is also a great program and easy to use.

 

[zdas04]

I tried to put a MathCad equation into a document I was e-mailing, it took the document from 76k to 3M (you gotta love V12) and the recipient's system rejected it. I changed to MathType and it was 112k.

David

 

[IRstuff]

As a general rule, I only insert Mathcad as bitmap graphics

TTFN

 

[Panars]

The microsoft equation editor can be used in Excel too.
I use it to show the formula when it gets too complex to just use simple text.

However, the equation editor can be a little quirky in Excel when it comes time to print. I copy the equation while in equation editor, then click on the spreadsheet and edit/paste special and insert the equation as a picture (enhanced metafile).

 

[yakpol]

I think the tool you are looking for has been commercially created. It's called TEDDS by CSC. It's using Word for structural calculations, lots of ready to go templates and you are free to create your own. This program is much more popular in Europe than in the US. Here's the link:

http://www.cscworld.com/tedds/tedds.html

 

[Gearhead]

Hi
MathLook for Excel will find all the formulas in an existing spreadsheet and convert to 2d formulas like from a text. It also renames cell names. Check it out at

http://www.uts.com