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You can use the Math Editor in Blackboard to add scientific and mathematical notation to a discussion board entry, an assignment submission, or an exam answer.
The Math Editor is available anywhere the visual text editor box is available to you in Blackboard. It is based on javascript so does not require a plugin. Let's look at how it works.
Let's say we're taking a math test and the answer to this question happens to be the quadratic formula. We'll need to use the Math Editor to create our answer.
This editor is located on the third toolbar in the visual text editor. If you don't see the 3rd row of tools click the Expand button on the right so that you can see it.
Look for the button with the function symbol on it and click on it to open the Math Editor.
The way the editor works is that you select symbols from the tabs across the top and then you type in the specific numbers and values. When you look across the top tabs, you will see that each menu contains groups of related templates that you can use in various combinations. Let's take a quick look at each menu.
General Tab. Under the general tab you will see a number of commonly used templates but also available here is the copy/paste options, the undo and redo options, and the font color and style options.
Then you have the Symbols tab, the Arrow tab, the Greek and letters tab, the Matrices tab...
The scripts and layout tab, the decorations tab, the big operators tab and the calculus tab.
Once you've found the appropriate tab and the right template to use, the trick is learning how to combine the templates with values to get the formulas to appear as you want.
So now let's build the quadratic formula.
I can type directly into the text box so I'll type the first part x= -b
Now I need the plus/minus sign so I browse through the tabs at the top to find it and select it from the Symbols tab.
The next part of the quadratic formula is the square root of b-squared minus 4ac.
I will need to first create the b-squared minus 4ac portion and then apply the square-root template to that entire phrase.
The squared option I will select first.
Then I fill in the specific numbers and values. I can use the the arrow keys on my keyboard or click to move between the superscript and regular text where i will type in b and the 2 signifying squared.
Then I'll simply type in the minus 4ac.
Finally, I want this phrase to be under a square root symbol so I select it, and then find the square root template.
Anything you first select and then apply a template to will automatically be placed in the space available.
We'll do the same thing to finish this formula. We need this entire phrase to appear as the numerator over 2a. So I'll select the entire phrase and then choose the fraction option.
Then I'll type in 2a as the denominator.
The formula is complete so I'll click on Accept
To edit the formula, select it by clicking on it and then click on the Math Editor button again.
To delete the formula, simply click on it and backspace or delete using your keyboard.
It is important that you experiment with the math editor before starting a test or assignment so that you are familiar with where the templates and symbols you need are located and so that you understand what order you need to create the formula to have it appear correctly.