Equation Editor

[eimhoff]

Is anyone aware of an add-on pack for Activstudio that is similar to Equation Editor in Word? Our math teachers are using Editor in Word and then transferring to flipcharts as an object. If would be great if they could do this all in Activstudio to have more flexibility.

[markrobinson]

Search MathType in the forums... YOu may be able to find the program on your computer. You can then add the program to your toolbar in AS and activate it to create formulae.

[wilcogirl]

I know that is is not as helpful but if you extend the text box out, you do get some more text options with math and Greek symbols from the drop down box there are also 2nd, and 3rd degrees and some fractions that are in the other category. :D

[karenadams]

If you download the math resource pack, it has some advanced math symbols, etc. Don't know if this is what you are looking for (as I wasn't a math teacher) but if you are a math teacher, you probably would want the resource pack - check it out: http://www.prometheanplanet.com/server.php?show=ConResource.13242

Karen

[rexboggs5]

I suggest you download the trial version of MathType from
http://www.dessci.com/en/products/mathtype/

You will get the big, big brother of Equation Editor for 30 days.
But the really nice thing is, after the trial expires, you then have the MathType lite version forever! [clap]

Which has much more functionality than Equation Editor. And you can drop MathType equations directly into your flipchart. They appear as images so can't be edited, but this is still much better than copying equation editor equations from Word Here is a post I wrote a week or so ago:

**
One thing that I do that may help a bit: After typing my equation in MathType, I press Ctrl-A (to select all), then Ctrl-C to copy the equation. I then drag the equation onto my flipchart. It disappears from MathType so I then type Ctrl-V to paste it back into MathType. I then minimise MathType. Later, if I need MathType again, I press Alt-Tab a few times to select it. I already have the most recent equation there, so I can edit it if needed.

A bit of a work-around, and not as good as having editable functions, but better than re-typing from scratch.
**

Cheers

Rex

[royjenni]

Another benefit to Math Type is that you can simply highlight and drag the equation onto the page so you don't have to copy / paste at all! You should adjust the size and color of the equation while it is still in the Math Type popup rather than waiting until it is on the flipchart page. If you add it to the shortcut bar, the program is easily accessable.

The downside is that in Inspire, the equation comes in as a transparent object so you have to change it in the properties browser.

[LisaD]

Does it still do that in version 1.1?

Lisa

[rexboggs5]

Someone wrote earlier that the transparency issue was fixed in Version 1.1 but the equations are still about 5 times too large so have to be re-scaled each time. So part way to happiness :)

Cheers

Rex

[mwallace]

It seems to be that MathType is 'the one' in terms of an equation editor for most people - but are there any others which are worth a look?

Mary

[rexboggs5]

It seems to be that MathType is 'the one' in terms of an equation editor for most people - but are there any others which are worth a look?

Mary

MathType is the gold standard, at least for Windows computers.

The best alternative that I know of is FX Equation (http://www.efofex.com/fxequation.php), which is part of the FX collection of software for Maths teachers. This is worth a look, as there is also FX Draw, FX Graph and FX Stat. If Promethean could get these packages interacting seamlessly with ActivInspire (the same way the programs do with Word), that would be a real plus for Maths teachers.

Cheers

Rex

[pughmds]

Openoffice (www.openoffice.org) has a formula/equation editor. It may be worth looking into. I don't know about ActivStudio, but in ActivInspire, you can take screenshots. I make the formula I want in openoffice, and then use ActivInspire to take a screenshot of the formula itself which then appears on the flipchart page.

Not sure if this helps...

[Ranger SVO]

I was so dissappointed when I saw a promethean board in my Algebra I classroom. While this is a great tool for elementary school, in a high school math class its a waste. It needs an equation editor, it needs a real calculator, I need to be able to graph equations, I need to be able to transform equations. Right now its just a fancy Powerpoint presentation machine.

[LisaD]

I agree an equation editor would be great. You can use TI-Smartview Calculator on the Activboard. It's excellent.

You might also want to check out some of the awesome flipcharts submitted to Planet for Algebra. What do you think about this pre-algebra lesson?

Always, Sometimes, Never
http://www.Prometheanplanet.com/server.php?show=ConResource.9127

Here is a teacher teaching the Pythagorean Theorum- Brian See
http://www.Prometheanplanet.com/server.php?show=nav.2813

And another high school teacher, for ninth grade math:
http://www.Prometheanplanet.com/server.php?show=nav.2820

Also, have you seen the Hey, Math stuff. I would love to hear what folks think about it!
http://www.Prometheanplanet.com/server.php?show=ConResource.21909

Or the BBC Maths II Algebra stuff:
http://www.Prometheanplanet.com/server.php?show=ConResource.21921

Lisa

[markrobinson]

All version of Activstudio have had the ability to add addtional programs to the toolbars where they can be invoked in one click. I have Design Science MathType, MS Equation Editor (simpler version of Mathtype), GraphCalc and TInspire Teacher Edition in the toolbar of my copy of ActivInspire.

In settings you can assign ANY calculator software to be the default. On the PC the Windows Calculator is launched by default and that has itself a setting to be viewed in scientific format.

The TI software and some great free alternatives like GraphCalc (which I also have installed on the Inspire toolbar) and Grapher on MAC are ideal tools to make 'dynamic and interactive' graphs and equations...

It is one thing the put y=sin(x) into a document but something altogether to tap it into the onscreen keyboard on the IWB into one of the softwares described above and then have a 2D or 3D graph that you can zoom around scale and trace points within to see how the equation and the lines/surface points interact. .

TInspire details...
http://education.ti.com/educationportal/sites/US/productCategory/us_tinspire_software.html

Free GRAPHcalc software... just go copy/paste to put the graphs into flipcharts
http://www.graphcalc.com/

Grapher for MAC can be found by searching in the applications folder.. and is magnificent for exploring 2D and 3D graphs, it is free and comes with many of common equations and popular templates in its menus.

Interactive, dynamic... and beautfiul... Maths and in particular equations, can be more than symbols on a pages, especially on an Activboard.

[jepatton]

Here are two more free math apps that are great on the Activboard.

GeoGebra. I use this all the time to show both geometry and algebra concepts. It's similar to Geometer's Sketchpad, but it's free! You can also easily generate your very own applets to post on the web for your students. It runs on the PC, Mac, and Linux. More info at: http://www.geogebra.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=67&Itemid=63

Java Graphers I just found these free graphers. One of them is a 3D grapher. These run in a browser, so you can use them on any platform. More info at http://www.pierce.ctc.edu/dlippman/g1/GrapherLaunch.html.

I hope these are useful to someone. ... I still want an equation editor in Inspire though ... ;)

[fdisher]

I have always used MAthType with ACTIV Studio but I cannot paste an equation from MAthType into an ACTIVStudio flipchart. I cannot even try to copy and paste an equation from a WORD document.

Anyone have a suggestions?

[jrette]

Help! I know that my equation has landed in my flipchart - and I have the property browser open, now what do I to to change the transparency??? Thank you.