Math Input Panel ?

Math Input Panel is a great little application introduced with Windows 7. Its purpose is to use input devices such as touchscreens, external digitizers or even a mouse to write mathematical formulas which are easily recognized and inserted into different types of documents. The formulas you write in Math Input Panel are inserted into documents in a completely editable form so that you can edit the output as you would edit any type of text. This can seriously improve your productivity when you need to create documents or presentations with lots of mathematical formulas.
In this article I will give you the list of math & applications Math Input Panel works with and show you the following: where to find Math Input Panel, how to use it in conjunction with other applications, how to correct any formula or equation and how to configure Math Input Panel.

Types Of Math & Applications Math Input Panel Work With

Math Input Panel works very well with US high school and college-level mathematics. This means it works with the following: arithmetic, calculus, functions, sets, set theory, algebra, combinatorics, probability and statistics, geometry, vectors, 3D analytic geometry, mathematical logic, axioms, theorems, definitions and applied mathematics. It doesn't work with other types of math nor with formulas from other domains such as chemistry.
NOTE: Math Input Panel can only insert mathematical formulas into programs that support Mathematical Markup Language (MathML). MathML is supported by major office products such as OpenOffice.org, Microsoft Office 2007 and the upcoming Microsoft Office 2010, as well as by mathematical software products such as Mathematica. Therefore, Math Input Panel works with all these programs.

Where To Find Math Input Panel

Math Input Panel can be found by opening the Start Menu and going to All Programs -> Accessories -> Math Input Panel.

For those of you who prefer the command line, you can start the application by running the 'C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Ink\mip.exe' file. Once you start the application, you will see a window similar to the one below.

How To Use Math Input Panel

In the middle of Math Input Panel, where it says 'Write math here', start writing your mathematical formula. If needed, you can also use the tools from the menu which appears on the right side.

When done, click on the Insert button and the formula will be automatically pasted in the document where you want to insert it.

NOTE: if the formula is not automatically copied to the other application where you need to insert it, don't worry. By default, Math Input Panel saves the formula in the clipboard. All you have to do is to select the Paste option (CTRL + V) in the other application and it will be inserted.
You can also see a demo of how this works in the video below: Math Input Panel & Office 2007
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If you write multiple formulas in one session, you can go back to any of them by using the History menu. Click on History and select one of the previous formulas you want to edit or insert again into your document.

After the formula is loaded by Math Input Panel, edit it (if needed) and click on the Insert button to have it in your document.

How To Correct Formulas

When writing a formula, don't hesitate to use the tools available on the right side of the application. If you made a mistake, you can easily fix it using the Erase tool. Click on it and erase the mistake completely.
There are scenarios when Math Input Panel doesn't recognize very well what you write. You can correct the way it interprets your writing by clicking on 'Select and Correct'. Then click/select the character you want to correct and a drop-down menu with possible options will appear. From that menu select the correct interpretation and resume your writing by clicking on Write.

How To Configure Math Input Panel

Math Input Panel offers very few configuration options. All of them can be accessed from the Options menu. The options are self-explanatory and allow you to do things such as changing the position of the buttons, turning on and off the grid or showing on-screen keyboard buttons.

Conclusion

As you can see from this tutorial, Math Input Panel is very easy to use. Its main benefit is the fact that it speeds up the process of working with mathematical formulas. Instead of using the Microsoft Office Equation Editor and spend quite some time inserting and editing mathematical formulas, you can simply draw them in Math Input Panel and insert them in whatever document you need to. If you have some cool tips or usage scenarios for Math Input Panel don't hesitate to share them with us and our readers by using the comment form below.