Abstract

Mathematical text includes patterns such as fractions and bracketed expressions that require careful placement of arguments. The typist could estimate the size of these arguments as on an IBM Selectric typewriter, moving the cursor to desired places on the screen and typing characters. Although simple in principle, this method requires many keystrokes to type formulas and makes it hard even to achieve positioning of the characters accurate to the low resolution computer screen. Over the years I have developed a linear format for equations that proves to be both much more typist efficient as well as providing the highest accuracy available on the target printer, e.g., 1/300" on a laser printer. In technical documents, fractions are often written in a single line with the numerator written first followed by a slash and then the denominator. My linear equation notation generalizes this concept to handle arbitrary mathematical formulas. Text is entered and edited in the linear format. Both on graphics preview and on printing, a text filter recognizes legal mathematical expressions, automatically expanding fractions, brackets, braces, parentheses, square roots, etc., to built-up form precisely fitting their arguments.

© 1986 Optical Society of America