Word 2007 Equation Editor: Permutations, Combinations?

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Coily - 26 Apr 2008 14:08 GMT

I haven't found any support in the new Equation Editor for properly
formatting Permutations (nPr) or Combinations (nCr). Are they here
somewhere, or do I have to cobble something together? Their display would
format the n and r elements in subscript, one before and one after the P or C.

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Herb Tyson [MVP] - 26 Apr 2008 15:24 GMT

You'll need to cobble--but then save your cobbled version as an equation or
an autocorrect entry for future use. Start a new equation, then type the
following inside the equation container:

{underscore}n{spacebar}C{underscore}r{spacebar}

This will give you nCr (where n & r are subscripted). It will also give you
an empty box before the n, which you can ignore (and if you can make it not
show at all... let me know how, because I haven't discovered a method yet).

Of course, this is all much easier to do in Word without the equation
editor... unless, of course, you need additional things that only the
equation editor can do.

You might find this resource useful, since Word 2007's equation editor seems
to "speak" the UTN28 Plain Text Math language:

http://unicode.org/notes/tn28/UTN28-PlainTextMath-v2.pdf

Signature

Herb Tyson MS MVP
Author of the Word 2007 Bible
Blog: http://word2007bible.herbtyson.com
Web: http://www.herbtyson.com

>I haven't found any support in the new Equation Editor for properly
> formatting Permutations (nPr) or Combinations (nCr). Are they here
> somewhere, or do I have to cobble something together? Their display would
> format the n and r elements in subscript, one before and one after the P
> or C.

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Coily - 26 Apr 2008 21:43 GMT

Thanks, Herb. Found that and played with it for a while. Some refinements:

This uses the \hairsp (hairline space character) since a regular space is
translated to a box for an unknown. Entering Ctrl-I before the C avoids the
switch to italic.

Alt+= to start. Enter: \hairsp, <underscore>, n, <space>, Ctrl+I, C,
<underscore>, r, space.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get this faithfully represented in Math
AutoCorrect. The link to other math notations will be helpful.

> You'll need to cobble--but then save your cobbled version as an equation or
> an autocorrect entry for future use. Start a new equation, then type the
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
> > format the n and r elements in subscript, one before and one after the P
> > or C.

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Frager - 14 May 2008 17:12 GMT

> Thanks, Herb. Found that and played with it for a while. Some refinements:
>
[quoted text clipped - 40 lines]
>
> - Show quoted text -

I have read with interest your question re notation for permutations
and combinations.
I have 2 questions:
1. In Word 2007 how do I insert a hair space? I don't understand what
I read about U +200A etc.
2. Is it possible to superscript n and subscript r.

I did manage by accident to get 2Cr with the 2 superscripted and the r
subscripted, but couldn't repeat the feat.

Your use of Alt seems different to what I read about superscripting
and subscripting.

Thanks

Frager

Thanks
Frager

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Bob Buckland ?:-) - 14 May 2008 21:48 GMT

Hi Frager,

Alt= (Alt + equal sign) is the keyboard shortcut equivalent to Insert=>Equation=>Insert New Equation.

A hairspace is one of the predefined Math Autocorrect (shorthand) entries for Word 2007 (Alt, T, A) - Math Autocorrect.

When you're in an equation you can type \hairsp
as shorthand for a hairspace or \zwsp for a zerowidth space.

There's a list you can print out in Word help under the topic of 'math autocorrect'

In the original example the poster, Coily, asked how to write
formatting Permutations (nPr) or Combinations (nCr)

To insert a new equation use
Alt=

To type the Combination above within the Equation Editor Mathzone so that you have a result of:

n subscript
C as plain (not italicized) text
r as superscript

typethe following in a math zone

Alt= (to create a new, empty equation)

\zwsp (to enter a zero width space)

space (this one is optional since the next char is punctuation)

_ (an underscore. This starts a subscript string)

n

space

"C" (put the C in quotes)

space

^ (above the 6 on the regular keyboard, starts a subscript string)
r

space

For a couple of quick video step by step examples of writing equations in linear format mode click on either the 'exponents and fractions' or 'integral' links on
http://blogs.msdn.com/microsoft_office_word/archive/2006/10/04/Equations-in-Word
-2007.aspx

For a link to the PDF file that covers what you can type check
http://blogs.msdn.com/murrays/archive/2006/09/06/742274.aspx
(they hyperlink under "here" in the first blog entry.

===============

I have read with interest your question re notation for permutations
and combinations.
I have 2 questions:

1. In Word 2007 how do I insert a hair space? I don't understand what
I read about U +200A etc.

2. Is it possible to superscript n and subscript r.

I did manage by accident to get 2Cr with the 2 superscripted and the r
subscripted, but couldn't repeat the feat.

Your use of Alt seems different to what I read about superscripting
and subscripting.

Thanks

Frager

Thanks
Frager>>

Signature

Bob Buckland ?:-)
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*

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Bob Buckland ?:-) - 14 May 2008 21:52 GMT

Correction to the last message.

typing ^ starts a superscript rather than a subscript string :)

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Art - 15 May 2008 15:08 GMT

Bob,

Thanks very much for your reply.
I still have to do a lot of reading up on Equations in Word 2007.
Your help is much appreciated

Frager
"Bob Buckland ?:-)" <75214.226(At Beautiful Downtown)compuserve.com> wrote

> Correction to the last message.
>
> typing ^ starts a superscript rather than a subscript string :)

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