GETTING STARTED PRIMERS

Editing Math Expressions

This tutorial shows you a few tricks to editing math quickly. However, the best way to learn how to create and edit expressions is to practice entering your own expressions. Note: These exercises require you to work within the Worksheet window. To do so, choose Select All from the Edit menu. Then, either drag or copy and paste all the regions into your Worksheet window.
Practice

Use the Spacebar, Backspace, Delete, Insert, and Arrow keys to change math expressions:
1. Click between the 3 and 4 in the expression below. Use the left arrow key to move the Math editing lines between the 1 and 2.

See:

1234
Then press [Backspace] to delete the 1 and press 5 to change the whole number to 5234. See:

2. Click anywhere in the expression below. Press [Spacebar] until you have the entire expression between the Math editing lines. See:

1234 12
If the vertical blue editing line is to the left, press [Del] to highlight the expression. If the vertical blue editing line is to the right, press [Backspace]. See:

or

Press [Del] or [Backspace] again to delete the region.

3. Click to select the 4 in the denominator of the fraction, 3/4. Use the right arrow key to move over to the 4 in the denominator of the fraction, 1/4:

3 + 4

1 4 4

editing Math expressions

Press [Del] to delete the 4 and press 16 to change the fraction:

Press [Insert] to move the vertical blue editing line from right to left:

Press [Spacebar] enough times to select the entire expression under the root:

Press [Del] twice to delete the expression under the root and type 9= to get a result:

4. Click to select the 2 and then press [Del] to delete the +.

See:

2+

1 5

If necessary, press [Insert] to change the direction of selection.

Press - to insert a subtraction sign:

Click the 1 and press [Spacebar] to select the fraction. Then press [Insert] to change the direction of selection: Press [Backspace] to delete the subtraction sign. Then press + to put back the addition sign:

5. In white space near this expression, click, hold, and drag to select it.

See:

a +b

Press [Insert] to change the direction of selection. Then press + to insert an addition sign and an empty placeholder.

See:

In the placeholder, type:

\a^2 [Spacebar] -b^2

See:

editing Math expressions

Moving Parts of an Expression 1. Place your selection between the math editing lines. Click on the y and press [Spacebar] once to select 3 - y. If you press [Spacebar] twice, you also select the square root.

See:

y +

3y

2. Choose Cut or Copy from the Edit menu.

3. Click where you want to paste the selected expression, either in another equation or by itself. 4. Choose Paste from the Edit menu.

See:

See:

x sin ( 3 y)
or

3y Note: If you need to backtrack in a complicated math expression, use the Undo command from the Edit menu or Undo and Redo arrow buttons. You can undo and redo multiple steps. To go to the next topic, go back into the Resources window and press the Next Topic arrow on the toolbar.

editing Math expressions