Page 1 | Using equations in Office 2016

Using equations in Office 2016

IT Showcase Article

microsoft.com/itshowcaseMay 2017

Page 1 | Using equations in Office 2016

Overview

Office 2016 applications, such as PowerPoint, Word, OneNote, Outlook, and Excel, include equations that you can drop into your documents—no formatting required. If the built-in equations don’t meet your needs, you can modify them or you can build your own sophisticated equation from scratch.

With the ink-to-math feature in Office 2016, you can also write out equations with your stylus, finger, or mouse, and the application will convert them to text. (If you don't have a touch device, you can use a mouse to write, too). You can also erase, select, and correct what you've written as you go.

Write an equation

  1. SelectInsertEquationwithin the Symbols group, and choose the equation you want from the gallery.
  2. If you’d rather start from scratch, enterAlt+= or choose Insert New Equation at the bottom of the gallery.
  1. After you insert the equation or the placeholder for your new equation, the Equation Tools Design tab opens with many symbols and options for customizing and adding to your equation. Select the equation whenever you want the tab to reappear.

NOTE:You can also select the equation and then select the arrow next to it to save it as a new equation, move it from inline to center.

Convert ink to an equation

  1. SelectInsertEquationInk Equation.
  2. Use a stylus or your finger to write a math equation by hand. If you're not using a touch device, use your mouse to write out the equation. You can select portions of the equation and edit them as you go, and use the preview box to make sure Word is correctly interpreting your handwriting.

  1. When you're satisfied, selectInsert to convert the ink equation to an equation in your document.

Change an equation

To edit a mathematical equation that was written in Office 2016, just select in the equation. TheEquation Toolstab will appear on the ribbon.

NOTE:If you don’t see the Equation Tools, the equation may have been created in an older version of Office. If so, save your file to convert it to the updated version (Select FileSave asupdated version).

  • In the Symbols group under the Equation Tools Design tab, you’ll find math related symbols. To see all the symbols, select the More button . To see other sets of symbols, select the arrow in the upper-right corner of the gallery.
  • The Structures group provides structures you can insert. Just choose a structure to insert it and then replace the placeholders, the small dotted-line boxes, with your own values.
  • In the More menu next to the equation, the Professional option displays the equation as a two-dimensional value. The Linear option displays the equation so it fits on one line.

For more information

Microsoft IT

microsoft.com/itshowcase

Microsoft Office Support

support.office.com

© 2017 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. This document is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.

IT Showcase Article

microsoft.com/itshowcaseMay 2017