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How do I place left-justified text before "display" equations?

Anonymous
2024-09-21T19:54:12+00:00

I'm going through some old Word 2003 documents containing Microsoft Equation Editor 3.0 objects, with the intention of converting them in Office 2021 to use the modern Office Math ML format.

I've mostly got to grips with the Office Math ML editor and note that (like LaTeX) it makes a distinction between "inline" and "display" equations. And while I've figured out that I can add right-justified numbers to display equations by entering (for example) #(1) after the equation itself, I haven't worked out how to similarly add left-justified text before display equations: in practice this text would usually be either an "implies" double-arrow or a "therefore" sign.

How can I add such left-justified text to display equations, so I could reproduce something like the document section below (using Equation Editor 3.0) with Office Math ML? I already tried asking this question on Reddit but received no response.

Thanks,

George

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For education | Windows

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  1. Jay Freedman 207.7K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2024-09-22T14:47:55+00:00

    The classic solution to this problem is to put the equation in the middle cell of a three-column, one-row, borderless table. Other elements can then be entered in the left and right columns, with paragraph alignment and Spacing Before/After adjusted as needed.

    It's not just the classic solution, it's the only solution when anything has to appear on the same line to the left of the "display" equation. It's based on the fact that the text in each cell of a table is in a separate paragraph from the other cells.

    Word's internal (and not modifiable) programming says that any equation that's in the same paragraph with non-equation text must be displayed as "inline".

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  2. Suzanne S Barnhill 277.6K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2024-09-22T11:11:24+00:00

    The classic solution to this problem is to put the equation in the middle cell of a three-column, one-row, borderless table. Other elements can then be entered in the left and right columns, with paragraph alignment and Spacing Before/After adjusted as needed.

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-09-22T09:39:39+00:00

    I am running Microsoft Home and Student 2021, with the current Word version being Version 2408 (Build 17928.20156 Click-to-Run).

    I am unable to upload the screenshot you requested from me, because I get a "NOT FOUND" graphic when I attempt to paste it from the clipboard, or a "File(s) failed to upload" error when I try to upload it from a file saved on disk.

    George

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  4. Charles Kenyon 167.4K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2024-09-22T02:28:44+00:00

    You might be able to install a trial version of MathType which will work with older Word equations.

    The old Equation Editor was based on an abbreviated version of the commercial product MathType.

    http://www.dessci.com/en/products/mathtype/

    You can download the free 30-day trial and should be able to edit your legacy equations. If you let the trial lapse, you will be left with the equivalent of the old Equation Editor.

    Absent that, you could have each of the equations inserted as separate paragraphs. Different paragraphs can be formatted with different justification.

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-09-22T00:42:30+00:00

    Dear George,

    Good day! Thank you for posting to Microsoft Community. We are happy to help you.

    As per your description, it seems that you are trying to place left-justified text to display equations in some old Word 2003 documents containing Microsoft Equation Editor 3.0 objects, with the intention of converting them in Office 2021 to use the modern Office Math ML format.

    If the understanding above is right, to help you better, would you please share your Office version by navigating to Word > File > Account and take a screenshot as shown below:

    We appreciate your kind patience and understanding that sometime the initial reply may not resolve the concern immediately or there may have some misunderstanding about your scenario, but we would like to hear the updates from your side and let's figure out the further suggestions.

    If the understanding above is not consistent with yours, please feel free to post back and point that.

    Your understanding and patience will be highly appreciated. We hope that you are keeping safe and well!

    Thanks for your cooperation.

    Sincerely，

    Rhoda | Microsoft Community Moderator

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