Writing equations

You can write equations on the page using pen tray pens (on interactive whiteboards) or a tethered pen and pen tool buttons (on interactive pen displays).

To write equations

1. Press Pens.

   The Pens tool buttons appear.

   

2. Press Pen Types, and then select Pen.

3. Select a line type.

4. Write the equation on the interactive screen using the tips in the following sections.

5. Press the equation’s menu arrow, and then select Recognize Math Ink.

   The equation appears surrounded by a blue border. A green circle and a red circle appear below the equation.

6. If the equation appears correctly, press the green circle.

   Notes 

   • SMART Notebook Math Tools recognizes many characters, including numbers, operators, Roman letters, Greek letters and other mathematical symbols (see Recognized mathematical symbols).

   • SMART Notebook Math Tools also recognizes many mathematical functions (see Recognized mathematical functions).

   • If you write a mathematical expression, you can solve it (see Solving mathematical expressions). You can also generate a graph based on this equation (see Generating graphs from equations).

   If your equation appears incorrectly, press the red circle, erase the equation and write it again. Don’t attempt to write over your original equation.

Tips for writing equations

Consider the following when you write equations:

• Write each symbol clearly and don’t overlap symbols.

• Leave space between the characters, symbols, formulas and equations that you write.

• Draw a multiplication symbol as a six-pointed asterisk, for example,.

• If your equation involves multiple lines, such as fractions, leave space between these lines. However, don’t separate a single line equation over multiple lines.

• Align superscripts, such as exponents, to the right of and above the adjacent character or symbol. Don’t allow a character and a superscript to overlap.

• Write problems sequentially from left to right and from top to bottom.

• Tap to make a decimal point. Don’t draw a tiny ball or scribble a mark.

• Don’t use j as a variable unless you’re writing a trigonometric expression or a complex expression. Don’t use i or o as variables unless you’re writing a trigonometric expression.

• Don’t use e as a variable unless you’re writing an exponential expression.

• Enclose exponents in parentheses.

Tips for writing trigonometric equations

Consider the following when you write trigonometric equations:

• Enclose variables in parentheses, for example, sin (x).

• Separate multiple trigonometric expressions using a multiplication sign, for example, sin(A)*cos(A).

Tips for writing logarithmic equations

Consider the following when you write exponents, logarithms and geometric series:

• SMART Notebook Math Tools recognizes log (N) as log₁₀N.

• SMART Notebook Math Tools recognizes logM as logm or logM (natural log).

• SMART Notebook Math Tools supports log₂M and log₁₀M only.

• Write the natural logarithm (ln) as log.

• Write log₂ as log2. Write log₁₀ as log10. SMART Notebook Math Tools doesn’t support subscripts.

Tips for solving multiple line equations

SMART Notebook Math Tools can solve some multiple-lined equations if you select all the equations, press the equation’s menu arrow, and then select Recognize Math Ink.