How to typeset maths equations in a page layout

Insert an equation in Layout by Zaweba and type or paste maths in LaTeX-style notation, with a live preview as you go. Layout typesets it using TeX rules in Cambria Math and draws the result as vector outlines, either inline on the baseline of a line of text or as a displayed equation in its own frame. Pasted MathML works as well, and EPUB and HTML exports carry MathML so the maths stays real maths on screen.

Equations have always been awkward in layout work. The usual workaround is to make them in another program and place them as pictures, which leaves them blurry, hard to edit and impossible to search. Typesetting them in the layout itself avoids all of that.

What the notation covers

The notation is the LaTeX style familiar to anyone who has written a paper in a science subject. It covers fractions, roots, sums, integrals, limits, brackets that grow to fit, Greek letters, matrices and cases, which is enough for school and university textbooks, exam papers, science magazines and technical reports. If you already know the notation, you can type equations straight away. If you don't, the live preview makes it easy to learn by trying.

Adding an equation step by step

Decide first whether the maths belongs in the sentence or on its own. A short expression such as a simple ratio reads well inline, on the baseline with the surrounding words. A longer formula, or one the reader needs to study, is better displayed, set apart with space above and below.

Insert the equation, type the notation and watch the preview update. When it looks right, place it. Inline equations move with the text as it reflows, just like any other character. Displayed equations sit in their own frame, which you can position and align as you would any other object.

To change an equation later, edit its notation rather than redrawing anything. That is the big advantage over pasting pictures: a correction to a subscript takes a few seconds.

Why vector outlines and TeX rules matter

TeX rules are the long-established conventions for spacing in mathematics, such as how much room goes around an equals sign or how a fraction sits on the line. Following them makes the maths look the way readers trained on textbooks expect. Cambria Math is a font designed specifically for mathematics, with the large range of symbols and sizes maths needs.

Drawing the result as vector outlines means it is sharp at any size, on screen and in print, and it can't be spoiled by a missing font on the printer's side.

Equations in digital editions

If you export a textbook as EPUB or a page as HTML, the equations go out as MathML, the standard way to mark up maths for screens. That keeps them crisp at any zoom and gives assistive technology something it can read, which is a real benefit for students using screen readers. Pasted MathML is accepted the other way too, so maths from a web page or another tool can come in without retyping.

Tips for maths-heavy documents

Keep equation size and spacing consistent by fitting displayed equations into an object style, so every one sits the same distance from the text around it. If you refer back to displayed equations by number, Layout's cross-references to paragraphs or anchors keep those references up to date when things move.

Proofread maths with special care, ideally with someone who knows the subject. A layout program can set notation perfectly and still faithfully reproduce a typing mistake. Reading the preview closely as you enter each one is the cheapest check there is.