# How do I use the math tags?

• October 7th 2009, 05:03 PM
ElectroNerd
How do I use the math tags?
Hey,

I know that if you punch the "E" above when you post it will wrap math tags around what you're inserting. How do I write the square root correctly and how do i do the division symbol if I were to do fractions?

Thanks!
• October 7th 2009, 05:04 PM
ElectroNerd
Experimenting:

$x^2$

$6/7$

$x^1/2$

$/frac{/3}{5}$
• October 7th 2009, 05:33 PM
skeeter
• October 7th 2009, 05:45 PM
ElectroNerd
Thanks, didn't realize that would be the name. I was thinking of this documentation software named LateX.
• October 7th 2009, 05:55 PM
ElectroNerd
I still don't get how to do the fractions. They suggest you do (/frac) but for the "/" symbol they have it reflected. How do I find that on the keyboard? Can someone give me the steps to do a fraction such as 1/2? Thanks!
• October 7th 2009, 08:51 PM
Prove It
Quote:

Originally Posted by ElectroNerd
I still don't get how to do the fractions. They suggest you do (/frac) but for the "/" symbol they have it reflected. How do I find that on the keyboard? Can someone give me the steps to do a fraction such as 1/2? Thanks!

Yes, it is a backslash in front of the frac command.

\frac{Numerator}{Denominator} gives $\frac{\textrm{Numerator}}{
\textrm{Denominator}}$

E.g. \frac{1}{2} gives $\frac{1}{2}$.

The backslash is usually located above the enter key.

The radical symbol is given by

sqrt{Something}

which gives

$\sqrt{\textrm{Something}}$.

E.g. \sqrt{2} gives $\sqrt{2}$.

If you want a higher root, like a cube root, then you'd put

sqrt[n]{Something}

to gives

$\sqrt[n]{\textrm{Something}}$.

E.g. \sqrt[3]{4} gives $\sqrt[3]{4}$.
• October 8th 2009, 01:33 PM
ElectroNerd
Thanks!

$\frac{1}{2}$