iQualify authors can use LaTeX markup to create mathematical and chemical formulas in text elements in their course.
You can even highlight elements of your formulas to emphasize your explanations.
How to format a mathematical formula
LaTeX is essentially instructions to tell the text element what to display. Our first step is always to tell the system that what we're about to write is the start of some LaTeX code. We do this with \( or \[
\[ and \] for a block of text (it will appear on a new line)
\( and \) for inline text (it will appear inline)
We put \) or \] at the end of our string of LaTeX.
Maths operation tags include:
^ for powers or superscripts, e.g. x^2 or y^{12}
_ for subscripts, e.g. x_i or sum_{i=0}^n
\frac for fractions, for example x = \frac{x^2 + 3}{x+1}
\left( and \right) for big parenthesis around fractions
\{ and \} for curly brackets
\alpha, \beta, \gamma, etc. for greek letters
curly brackets to group elements
\{ and \} to display actual curly brackets, e.g. for sets such as P = \{1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, … \}
\sum and \int for sums and integrals
\sqrt and \sqrt[3] for square roots and other radicals
Examples of math LaTex in iQualify
Here are a few examples that you can try entering yourself:
\[ \sqrt{3x-1}+(1+x)^2 \]
\[ x = \frac{x^2+3}{x+1} \]
The probability of getting k heads when flipping n coins is: \( P(E) = {n \choose k} p^k (1-p)^{ n-k} \)
And here's what they look like in a text element in iQualify:
Tip: Try this online equation editor Host Maths, the Equation Editor to find out how to display the various elements of your formula and equations in LaTeX.
How to format a chemical formula
You can represent molecular chemistry formula and equations using an additional delimiter to for chemistry notation:
\ce{ }
Common tags and symbols
no tag for subscript (any number entered after letters is taken as subscript, e.g. \ce{ O2 } will give O2
no tag either for simple ion + or anion - superscript, e.g. \ce{ H+ } will give H+ and \ce{ O- } will give O-
^ for superscript with a number, e.g. \ce{ O^2- } will give O2-
-> for reactions, e.g. \ce{ CO2 + C -> 2 CO }
\sbond or \bond{-} or - for single bond.
\dbond or \bond{--} or = for double bond
\tbond or \bond{---} for triple bond
Examples of chemistry LaTex in iQualify
Here are a few examples that you can try entering yourself :
The famous water molecule: \[\ce{ H2O }\]
Here is an ion \(\ce{ H+ } \) and here are two anions \(\ce{ O- }\) and \(\ce{ O^2- } \)
Photosynthesis reaction: \[\ce{6 CO2 + 6 H2O + light -> C6H12O6 + 6 O2}\]
Carbon dioxide bonds: \(\ce{ C=O=C }\)
And here's what they look like in a text element in iQualify:
A full reference can be found in this Chemistry Notation guide by Martin Hensel.
How to highlight parts of an equation with \bbox
Use \bbox when you want to highlight only part of a formula. Highlighting an element of a formula using \bbox is simple because it doesn’t have any additional requirements. In addition, it creates an actual box around the element, and allows you to define not only its colour but also its size and even to specify a border.
To highlight any formula using \bbox, you enter:
\bbox[name of color, padding size]{the formula} Note: The padding size is optional, but it does improve the presentation of the formula by adding some space around the element.
For example
Produces:
Examples of \bbox highlighting in iQualify
Copy and paste the following formula (adding the normal LaTeX delimiters on either side) into an iQualify text element and try highlighting different parts of the formula, or use any formula you already have to try it out.
The result is \( x = \bbox[lightblue, 4pt] {x^3}+5 \)
\frac { \sqrt{ x^{32} - 16} } { x^2+5x+3 }
For example use to try to produce this highlight:
More help with LaTex
Host Maths, the Equation Editor lets you use buttons to create the LaTex mark up instead of having to type it all out.
You can also find a basic tutorial and quick reference on Maths Stack Exchange.
The following provide comprehensive lists of LaTeX tags:
LaTeX Math Symbols, by L. Kocbach
LaTeX and AMS-LaTeX symbols by Emre Sermutlu (2008)
The Comprehensive LATEX Symbol List, by Scott Pakin (2017)