To begin, open the Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file into which you want to copy the equation and insert an equation box as discussed earlier in this article. Then, click open the “Ink Equation” tool.

If you ever had to present an equation as part of a Word document — maybe you’re studying mat6 Free Android Math Apps to Help You Survive Math Class6 Free Android Math Apps to Help You Survive Math ClassYou've got to survive math class one way or another, and these apps will make that journey a thousand times easier.Read More — you know manually entering formulae isn’t easy. The the amount of special characters involved and the complexity of proper formatting can make it really tough. Fortunately, Microsoft Office 2016 offers some tools to make life a little easier.

Once you’re fully aware of the assists built into the Office suite, properly integrating even the most complicated equations into your work will be a breeze. Then there’s just the simple matter of understanding what you have in front of you…

1. Inserting Stock Equations

There are certain mathematical equations that Office users will need time and time again, so Microsoft decided to save everyone some time and effort by offering several built-in staples.

These equations can be accessed by heading to the Symbols section of the Insert tab. Click the Equation dropdown and choose one of the built-in examples to insert it into your document.

Once the equation is on the page, you can use the dropdown to its right to make tweaks like switching between the Linear and Professional formatting stylesHow to Format and Manage Lists in Microsoft WordHow to Format and Manage Lists in Microsoft WordNo matter how many bulleted or numbered lists you have created with Microsoft Word in your life so far, I bet you will learn something new from this guide! Or did we miss something?Read More. The box on the right hand side of the equation is simply a “handle” to make it easier to drag the statement around your document without its contents being rearranged.

It’s worth noting that you can make edits to these built-in equations simply by highlighting individual values and typing in the desired replacement. Once you’ve done that, you can use the drop-down option Save as New Equation to store this formula for further usage.

It’s well worth checking out the More Equations from Office.com option from the Equations drop-down in the Ribbon. As long as you’re connected to the Internet, this will offer up further pre-written equations sourced online, ranging from relatively simple stuff like a basic fraction multiplication template, to more in-depth formulas like the Gamma Function.

2. Writing Out Equations Manually

To start writing an equation manually, navigate to the Symbols section of the Insert tab and click the word Equation itself, rather than the accompanying drop-down button.

The shortcut to start typing out an equation is ALT+=. You’ll notice that when you start creating an equation manually, the Ribbon will relocate to the Equation Tools section of the Design tab to give you quick access to a number of symbols and structures. It’s great to have these characters on hand, but you can of course also use the corresponding ASCII codes or even the Character Map3 Applications To Supercharge The Character Map In Windows3 Applications To Supercharge The Character Map In WindowsWhen the Character Map becomes a staple of your work routine, you have two options: find some third-party application to more easily bring the characters to your fingertips, or memorize the Alt keystrokes for each...Read More.

Note that while you’re in this mode, input from your keyboard will default to italicized math text when you’re in a math region. If you don’t want this to happen, use the Normal Text toggle in the Tools section of the Ribbon.

Once you’ve written up your equation, you can use the standard text formatting tools in Word to edit its visual appearance. However, changing the typefaceThe 8 Best Free Font Websites for Free Fonts OnlineThe 8 Best Free Font Websites for Free Fonts OnlineNot everyone can afford a licensed font. These websites will help you find the perfect free font for your next project.Read More likely won’t have much of an effect — only specialized math-friendly fonts tend to feature all the necessary characters. You can still amend text size and color as normal.

If your equation is one that you’re likely to reuse on a regular basis, it’s well worth saving it so you don’t have to write out the formula manually each time. To do so, click the dropdown button on the right hand side of your equation and select Save as New Equation.

The save dialog that opens up as a result is largely self-explanatory, but do take a moment to consider the Options drop-down. This will allow you to stipulate whether your equation can be inserted directly into text, or whether it defaults to being added as a new paragraph or even a new page. The latter two options won’t be appropriate for every single formula that you write, but they will save you time and effort when it comes to formatting in certain situations.

3. Drawing an Equation With Ink

Office 2016 also lets you write out equations freehand, either using your mouse or a touch interface. If you’re planning on working with the latter input method, make sure to familiarize yourself with Windows InkTry Windows Ink on Windows 10, Run Android Apps on Your Chromebook... [Tech News Digest]Try Windows Ink on Windows 10, Run Android Apps on Your Chromebook... [Tech News Digest]Windows Ink lands on Windows 10, Google teases Android apps for Chrome OS, even Steve Wozniak thinks Apple should pay more tax, Spotify finds your Game of Thrones match, and follow the Olympic Torch on...Read More beforehand.

Once you’re ready to get started, head to the Symbols section of the Insert tab and use the Equation drop-down. Select Ink Equation to open the drawing interface.

The drawing interface consists of a space for you to write, and a preview box that shows how the equation will look on the page. This gives you the opportunity to perfect your work before it’s inserted into the document — but you’ll likely find that Windows Ink is able to read your handwriting quite accurately.

Write out your equation in full before you go back to make any edits. Windows Ink is smart enough to take context into account, so even if it misunderstands certain characters as you’re writing them, it might auto-correct to the desired resultMicrosoft Word's Math AutoCorrect Makes Equations Easier to TypeMicrosoft Word's Math AutoCorrect Makes Equations Easier to TypeYou know Word has AutoCorrect, but did you know you can also enable its shortcuts for math?Read More after the entry is complete.

If you do need to fine-tune your equation, you have two tools at your disposal. The first is the Erase function, which deletes individual characters or symbols one by one and cannot be undone, so be careful as you’re using it.

You can also use Select and Correct to replace an element of your equation, rather than deleting it outrightHow to Recover Deleted Office FilesHow to Recover Deleted Office FilesLost a crucial file and need to get it back? These tips will help you recover your Office documents in no time at all.Read More. To employ this tool, select it at the bottom of the window and use the cursor to draw around the character or symbol you want to amend until it turns red.

You’ll then be presented with a selection of replacements to pick from. If the character you’re looking for isn’t listed, you’ll just have to make another attempt at drawing it.

Once your equation is ready, just click Insert and it will be added to your document.

Do you have a tip on how to produce perfect equations in Office 2016? Or are you looking for help with a particular problem that’s not covered by this article? Head to the comments section to ask for advice, or offer it up to other readers.

Explore more about: Math, Microsoft Office 2013, Microsoft Office 2016, Microsoft Word.

1. How do I write examples of simple arithmetic problems vertically and show the solving of them?

2. Hi, I want to ask a question: Is there any possibility to have a tool or a method, in order to just type the equation from keyboard in a way similar to the way it is possible to do with a programming language program (for example MATLAB). I know that Latex gives this possibility, but unfortunately I don't have enough time to learn its language right now. Is there something similar with word, too, or there is no way to having it at the moment? Thank you!

Most of us don’t get what Microsoft PowerPoint is all about.

Like any presentation tool, it is meant to enhance what the presenter is saying. It is not a tool to do all the job for the presenter.

If the latter had been true, TED TalksBecome a Better Public Speaker by Imitating These TED TalksBecome a Better Public Speaker by Imitating These TED TalksImitation can be the best form of learning if the source is right. If you want to become a good presenter, the best TED Talks can show you the finer points of public speaking.Read More would have killed scores of audiences around the world. Death by PowerPoint bloodies the hands of a bad presenter.

“Your slides should be a billboard not a document!”

– Lee Jackson (Author)

A PowerPoint presentation needs to work with the creative constraints of short attention spans. Not unlike the billboards designed to catch the eyes of speeding motorists. But, PowerPoint creators have the luxury of multiple slides to make a point. And some wonderful creative tools that have become better with the enhancements in Microsoft Office 201613+ Reasons You Should Upgrade to Microsoft Office 201613+ Reasons You Should Upgrade to Microsoft Office 2016Microsoft Office 2016 is here and it's time for you to make a decision. The productivity question is -- should you upgrade? We give you the new features and the fresher reasons to help you...Read More.

So, let’s dive into these new creative tools in PowerPoint 2016 and see how they can help you make better presentations5 Powerpoint Tips to Improve Your Presentation Skills Overnight5 Powerpoint Tips to Improve Your Presentation Skills OvernightYou step up to the podium. Your palms are sweaty, your heart is racing, and just as you're about to open your mouth and speak, your mind goes blank. Need help?Read More.

Save Time with PowerPoint Designer

Suffering from “presentation block”?

With Microsoft PowerPoint 2016, you can banish both annoyances. Any presentation starts with the hunt for a suitable template or themeWhere to Find Free PowerPoint Themes & TemplatesWhere to Find Free PowerPoint Themes & TemplatesA default template can be drab and lifeless. Fortunately, with plenty of free resources available, there is no need to settle. We have compiled some of the best PowerPoint themes & templates.Read More. Or creating a nice one from scratch. But you may not be a designer.

Drop the first image into a fresh slide and PowerPoint Designer automatically offers several design ideas. The recommendation engine works with 12,000+ creative designs created by graphic artists.

Microsoft says:

Designer applies cloud intelligence to analyze and identify the most compelling portion of your images to determine which blueprints work best with your content.

You can also open it from Ribbon > Design > Design Ideas.

If you don’t find it useful, go to File > Options > General. Uncheck the box that says Enable PowerPoint Designer.

The time-saving assistance isn’t only about dropping a pretty graphic on a slide. Designer uses cloud intelligence to analyze and highlight the most compelling portion of your images. Try it. It’s different from our old habit of selecting a pre-made template.

General tip – Right now, PowerPoint Designer recognizes a few simple slide types. As further updates arrive, the recommendations will get better with different slide types.

Learn with Tell Me

Still feel lost on the Ribbon?

Microsoft Office 2016 introduced the “Tell Me” assistant to help you navigate through the many options. The Tell Me What to Do box is located above the right side of the Ribbon. Type what you want to do in this box, and PowerPoint points you to the Ribbon button that lets you do it.

Let’s say you want to organize multiple PowerPoint windows on the desktop by cascading them. Type “windows” and Tell Me displays the Cascade Windows command (originally located under the View tab).

Tell me is a time saver and a timely confusion killer.

Power Search with Bing “Insights”

Looking for more information or creative inspiration?

Highlight a keyword and right-click to use the Bing-powered Smart Lookup in PowerPoint 2016 (Insights) to bring in search results from the web. A panel opens on the right with results from the web and Wikipedia.

You don’t have to leave PowerPoint for looking up simple information. Make error free presentations quickly by checking the facts or the vocabulary you will use on your slides. Use it for creative inspiration or for finding RGB values of colors.

You can also use Smart Lookup from the Ribbon > Review tab.

Smart Lookup is also a part of the new Tell Me feature. Enter keywords into the Tell Me box and select Smart Lookup from the dropdown suggestions.

General tip – try to avoid using it for image searches. Finding images to insert with the right Creative Commons licenseWhat Is Creative Commons, And Should You Use It?What Is Creative Commons, And Should You Use It?Creative Commons is a set of licenses which automatically give you permission to do various things, such as reuse and distribute the content. Let's find out more about it and how to use it.Read More is almost impossible via the search pane.

Ink Your Equations

Remember the struggles with math on the slides?

Working with math equations is easier in PowerPoint now with both the keyboard and the stylus. From the Ribbon, go to Insert > Equation > Ink Equation. For touch-enabled devices, you can use your finger or a touch stylus to write math equations by hand. You can also use the mouse in the Write box. The Office software converts it into text.

As the Ink Equation editor brings the fight with mathematical expressions to an end, it can be an effective teaching tool if you broadcast your presentation to a remote audience. Or pair it with one of the creative uses of Google Chromecast8 Creative Uses for Google's Chromecast8 Creative Uses for Google's ChromecastWe've come up with 8 unique uses for Google's Chromecast. Read on to find out just how you can make even more use of your Chromecast.Read More.

General Tip — Use the Tell Me box to quickly get to the Ink Equation editor. Type Ink in the box.

Smoothly Animate with Morph Transitions

Found Motion Paths too difficult to apply?

Morph Transitions in PowerPoint 2016 is designed to make animations easier. Simply explained, Morph allows you to move an object from Point A to Point B. To move objects effectively, you’ll need to have two slides with at least one object in common. An easy way is to duplicate the slide and then move the object on the second slide to a different place. You can also copy and paste the object from one slide and add it to the next.

Then, with the second slide selected, go to Transitions > Morph.

PowerPoint estimates the difference between the two slides and applies a smooth animation between them. Play around with movement and transitions. You can use Morph to move objects, change colors, shrink or zoom into a particular view.

Powerpoint Tutorial 2016

The Microsoft Mechanics video demonstrates Morph (and PowerPoint Designer):

The direct transitions of Morph can be powerful tool to explain business processes or steps. Morph Transitions is an easier way to animate without the use of complicated motion paths. But unlike motion paths, the transition takes the shortest direct route.

Equation Editor In Word 2016

For example, you cannot show the curved flight path of a butterfly with a morph transition. For more complicated animations, revert to the use of motion paths.

Note: This feature is only available if you have an Office 365 subscription.

Tell Beautiful Stories with Six New Chart Types

Stumped when you have to tell stories with data?

Data visualization4 Data Visualization Tools for Captivating Data Journalism4 Data Visualization Tools for Captivating Data JournalismWords and numbers are not enough. In the end, visuals will capture and convince your audience. Here are the tools that will help you turn your data into something great.Read More today is not only about displaying datasets. Effective visualizations send a message and help us recognize shapes and patterns. As we are wired to visualize information far faster than we can read it, using the right chart type in PowerPoint puts us at an advantage.

Six new charts types — Box and Whisker, Treemap, Sunburst, Histogram, (and within Histogram options, Pareto), and Waterfall – give the presenter more flexibility.

This Microsoft Office blog article shows how to use the new Treemap and Sunburst charts to breakdown hierarchical data.

General Tip — For a given set of numbers, Microsoft Office allows you to change the chart types. But ask yourself why is the chart important for the audience. If possible, simplify the data and look beyond charts.

More Options with Preset Shapes

Do you long for more preset shape formats?

Remember how the Merge Shapes feature helps you draw your own custom shapes? The feature to save your own custom shapes is still missing, but PowerPoint 2016 gives us another incremental improvement with five more rows of preset Shape styles. Draw a shape in your slide and apply a new preset style to the shape. PowerPoint 2016 makes it easier for the creatively challenged.

Access the shapes and the Quick Styles from the Drawing group on the Home Tab. Alternatively, you can also go to the Insert tab and draw a shape. This again brings up the Shape Styles under a Drawing tab.

Though, you can finetune any shape with the Format Shape options, the variety of Quick Shape Styles makes creating stylish presentations a bit breezier.

General Tip — The new presets with transparent and semi-transparent fills are useful for creating neat overlays over another image.

Show Them Better with Screen Recordings

Wondering how to record high-quality screencasts?

There is an industry standard tool like Camtasia and then there are many lightweight screen recordersShow, Don't Tell! 3 Best Free Screencasting Tools for WindowsShow, Don't Tell! 3 Best Free Screencasting Tools for WindowsThey say a picture is worth a thousand words, so a video must be priceless - and there are times when a video is more convenient and effective than simple words. A screencast, also known...Read More, too. PowerPoint’s native screen recording utility is a one-touch process. Camtasia takes some learning. Try PowerPoint’s Screen Recording feature with a bit of creativity and you can avoid the boring static screenshots.

Go to Insert > Screen Recording.

Click the Select Area button and drag across the area you want to record. Click the Record button.

Use the Windows button + Shift + Q shortcut to stop the recording and insert the video on your current slide.

PowerPoint gives you a whole slew of Video Tools to format and present your screencasts.

General Tip — PowerPoint screencast slides are ideal for how-to tutorials and training courses. A single dynamic slide can be more effective and less time consuming than making multiple static slides with fancy graphics. If you missed a few opportunities to use Screen Recording in the updated PowerPoint 2013, it’s time to set the “record” straight now!

Present on Larger High-Def Screens

Hate the black bars on the top and bottom of your slides?

This is another little, but useful feature that continues from PowerPoint 2013. When you export your presentation as a video, you can create a file with resolution as high as 1920 x 1080 and display it cleanly on an HDTV, projector, or a computer monitor.

Office 2016 Equation Editor

Remember, you can also design slides with the widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9 used on such displays. If you show a slide in this aspect ratio on a standard 4:3 screen you will get black bars on the top and bottom.

General Tip – Find out the dimension of the presentation screen beforehand. This could make all the difference.

Resolve Conflicts

Can’t make up your mind on two slides?

PowerPoint 2016 has beefed up the collaboration options. When two or more people work on the same slide, it can lead to two slides with a few, conflicting differences. The conflict resolution feature will pop up automatically and display the two slides side-by-side. Compare them visually, select the best one, and restore team harmony.

Office 2016 Equation Editor

Combine Old Tips with the New for Better Presentations

Presenting in front of an audience is an old game. The newer features in PowerPoint 2016 won’t make you radically change the way you prepare, but make the process just a little bit easier. New features like the new Office themes are superficial and the management of version history is available only for files stored with OneDrive for Business or SharePoint.

What are your favorite professional presentation tips7 Tips for Creating Professional PowerPoint Templates7 Tips for Creating Professional PowerPoint TemplatesNobody benefits from a boring PowerPoint presentation. Use these tips to make sure your efforts always grab their audience.Read More for designing slides or giving them? Which among the new tools in PowerPoint 2016 do you see yourself using more? Write to us in the comments!

Excel 2016 Equation Editor

Explore more about: Microsoft Office 2016, Microsoft PowerPoint, Presentations.