Next 23.B: Pictures Up 23: Multimedia Prev 23: Multimedia Contents


Specialized

§ 23.A: Using Equations in Multimedia


If you really do science or engineering, then at some point you will have to deal with equations. One way to create images of equations on a computer is with LaTeX (a macro package composed of primitive TeX commands). In LaTeX, a document is written in ordinary text (ascii) with special words used for Greek and the mathematical equation formatting. This text is essentially "source code" which gets complied by LaTeX, and then viewed on a screen or printer (similar to using Fortran or C).

LaTeX is probably the best system for producing typesetting quality documents containing complicated equations. Because it is of high quality, yet with highly transportable and compact source code, it is also used by various journals for their publications. While LaTeX is not directly readable by Web documents, it can be directly converted to a Web document with equations appearing as embedded pictures (not a particularly good system, but it is the best now available).


Next 23.B: Pictures Up 23: Multimedia Prev 23: Multimedia Contents


Comments and questions to CP-unix@physics.orst.edu.