Windows

Add A Mathematical Symbol In Word 2003

Posted by on Mar 31, 2008 | 7 Comments

A Lockergnome reader recently submitted a question asking how to add a mathematical equation into a Word document. Some people think this is accomplished using the Character Map; however, this is not the case.

Word includes over 150 mathematical symbols that you can insert into your document to build equations. To add a mathematical equation in Word 2003:

  1. Place the cursor where you want to insert the equation.
  2. From the Insert menu, click Object.
  3. Click the Create New tab.
  4. In the Object Type box, click Microsoft Equation 3.0.
  5. From the Equation toolbar, choose the symbols you want to use.
  6. Type in the variables and numbers you want to use.
  7. Click Word when you are ready to return to your document.
  • Majora2007

    Thanks for this great tip. The Microsoft Office website does not explain it very well, but you did a very simplistic step-by-step guide that just saved me a good two hours on my discrete mathematics homework.

  • Aamir Raza

    I don’t see the Microsoft Equation 3.0 or anything like that in my word 2003 ???

  • Hans Clever

    I have the same problem like Aamir Raza. There is nothing looking like Microsoft Equation.

  • cadu

    If you originally installed Microsoft Office from a network file server or from a shared folder, you must install Equation Editor from that location. If you installed Office from a CD-ROM, you must install Equation Editor from the disc.

    1. Quit all programs.
    2. Do one of the following:
    * If you run Microsoft Windows 2000, double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon in Control Panel.
    * If you run Microsoft Windows XP, click Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel.
    3. In the Currently installed programs box, click the listing for Microsoft Office or the individual Office program, depending on whether you installed the program as part of Office or individually, and then click Change.
    4. On the Maintenance Mode Options screen, click Add or Remove Features, and then click Next.
    5. If a Custom Setup screen appears, select the Choose advanced customization of applications check box, and then click Next.
    6. On the Advanced Customization screen, in the list of features to install, click the expand indicator (+) next to Office Tools.
    7. Click the arrow next to Equation Editor, and then click Run from My Computer.
    8. Click Update.
    9. Restart the Office program you were using

  • r

    thank you!! worked great :)

  • milind

    same problem with me there is nothing about mathematical equation in word 2003 when i reached at place followed by instruction, isnt there any other software? which contain all the mathematical and physical as well as chemistry diagrams software to whom downloaded which can make the processes earlier than other, doing much steping ….

  • Prabhuram

    To insert mathematical equations try the following steps which is available in help menu of Word 2003:

    1.Click where you want to insert the equation.
    2.On the Insert menu, click Object, and then click the Create New tab.
    3.In the Object type box, click Microsoft Equation 3.0.
    If Microsoft Equation Editor is not available, you may need to install it.

    How?
    If you originally installed Microsoft Office from a network file server or from a shared folder, you must install Equation Editor from that location. If you installed Office from a CD-ROM, you must install Equation Editor from the disc.
    Quit all programs.Do one of the following: If you run Microsoft Windows 2000, double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon in Control Panel.If you run Microsoft Windows XP, click Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel.In the Currently installed programs box, click the listing for Microsoft Office or Microsoft Word, depending on whether you installed Word as part of Office or as an individual program, and then click Change.On the Maintenance Mode Options screen, click Add or Remove Features, and then click Next. If a Custom Setup screen appears, select the Choose advanced customization of applications check box, and then click Next.In the list of features to install, click the expand indicator (+) next to Office Tools.Click the arrow next to Equation Editor, and then click Run from My Computer.Click Update.Restart Word.
    4.Click OK.
    5.Build the equation by selecting symbols from the Equation toolbar (toolbar: A bar with buttons and options that you use to carry out commands. To display a toolbar, press ALT and then SHIFT+F10.) and by typing variables and numbers. From the top row of the Equation toolbar, you can choose from more than 150 mathematical symbols. From the bottom row, you can choose from a variety of templates or frameworks that contain symbols such as fractions, integrals, and summations.
    If you need help, click Equation Editor Help Topics on the Help menu.

    6.To return to Microsoft Word, click the Word document.
    Tip
    If you frequently work with equations, you may want to add the Equation Editor button to a toolbar so that you can insert equations quickly.

    1.Right-click the toolbar where you want to add the button, click Customize, and then click the Commands tab.
    2.In the Categories list, click Insert.
    3.In the Commands list, click Equation Editor and drag to the toolbar.