Mathematical Typesetting Resources
The resources listed here are provided as a convenience for those who wish
to learn to typeset mathematics. Here are some of the options:
- The old-fashioned way: If you have
never used a mathematical typesetting program, you don't expect to be writing much mathematics in your career, and your time
is limited, your might be better off writing by hand, so that you
can spend your time learning
mathematical concepts and techniques rather than
learning to use a complicated computer typesetting system.
- Microsoft Word: The latest versions of Microsoft Word (Word 2007 for Windows and Word 2008 for Mac) have a sophisticated built-in equation editor that is easy to use and produces excellent-looking output. If you use an older version of Word, there is an optional Equation Editor that has to be installed separately. It is not nearly as flexible as the Word 2007/2008 equation editor, and the output it produces does not look as good, but it might do in a pinch.
- LaTeX: If you expect to be writing a lot of mathematics
in your life, sooner or later you will have to learn to use LaTeX.
This is a dialect of (or more precisely a package of macros for) Donald Knuth's
TeX mathematical typesetting system, and has become the de facto standard
for typesetting mathematical articles, books, and research papers. If you
already know something about LaTeX, or if you have the time to invest in
learning it for this course, your investment will pay off over the long term.
But be warned that it is not an easy program to learn, so you'll have to
be prepared to devote some time to it.
With these caveats in mind, here are some resources for obtaining and learning
about these programs.
Microsoft Word
TeX/LaTeX
John M. Lee