How to use the equation editor in Google Docs and Word — and why it matters for Criterion B.
There are two ways to insert an equation in Google Docs:
Click Insert → Equation in the top menu bar. A toolbar appears at the top of the document with symbols grouped by category: Greek letters, miscellaneous operations, relations, arrows, and mathematical operations.
Press Alt + I then E (Windows) or use the menu on Mac. Even faster: type \ followed by a LaTeX command anywhere in a Doc equation box — Google Docs autocompletes many LaTeX shortcuts automatically.
Inside an equation box, Google Docs accepts many LaTeX-style commands. Type the command and press Space or Tab to convert it. These are the most useful for an IB Maths IA:
| What you want | Type this, then Space | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Fractions & Powers | ||
| Fraction ¾ | \frac then fill numerator/denominator | Proper stacked fraction |
| Superscript (power) | x^2 or x^{n+1} | x², x^(n+1) |
| Subscript | x_n or x_{n-1} | xₙ, x_(n−1) |
| Roots & Logarithms | ||
| Square root | \sqrt | √ with radicand box |
| nth root | \sqrt[n] | ⁿ√ |
| Natural log | \ln | ln (upright) |
| Log base 10 | \log | log (upright) |
| Log base b | \log_b | log_b |
| Greek Letters | ||
| α (alpha) | \alpha | α |
| β (beta) | \beta | β |
| π (pi) | \pi | π |
| σ (sigma) | \sigma | σ |
| Σ (capital sigma — sum) | \sum | Σ with limits |
| μ (mu) | \mu | μ |
| θ (theta) | \theta | θ |
| λ (lambda) | \lambda | λ |
| ∞ (infinity) | \infty | ∞ |
| Calculus | ||
| Integral ∫ | \int | ∫ with optional limits |
| Definite integral | \int_a^b | ∫ from a to b |
| Limit | \lim_{x \to \infty} | lim as x→∞ |
| Partial derivative | \partial | ∂ |
| Derivative dy/dx | \frac{dy}{dx} | Stacked dy/dx |
| Relations & Operators | ||
| ≤ (less than or equal) | \leq | ≤ |
| ≥ (greater than or equal) | \geq | ≥ |
| ≠ (not equal) | \neq | ≠ |
| ≈ (approximately equal) | \approx | ≈ |
| × (times) | \times | × |
| ÷ (divide) | \div | ÷ |
| ± (plus-minus) | \pm | ± |
| · (dot product) | \cdot | · |
| Matrices & Brackets | ||
| Absolute value |x| | \left| x \right| | |x| (auto-sizing) |
| Large brackets | \left( \frac{a}{b} \right) | Auto-sized ( ) |
| 2×2 matrix | \begin{pmatrix} a & b \\ c & d \end{pmatrix} | Matrix with parentheses |
Knowing when to use an inline equation versus a displayed (centred) equation is a mark of good mathematical writing — and directly affects Criterion B.
The quadratic formula is x = (-b ± √(b²-4ac)) / 2a which gives both roots of the equation ax² + bx + c = 0.
For the equation ax² + bx + c = 0, the roots are given by the quadratic formula:
[displayed equation block: x = (−b ± √(b²−4ac)) / 2a]
This was applied with a = 2, b = −5, c = 3.
Short symbols and simple expressions that sit naturally in a sentence: "where r is the correlation coefficient", or "the value of n = 12". Insert these via Insert → Equation and they flow with the text.
Any equation that is central to your argument, more than one term long, or contains fractions/integrals/summations. Place these on their own line, centred, with a blank line above and below. Number important equations: (Equation 1) on the right margin.
Criterion B rewards clear, logical presentation of working — not just a final answer. Here is how to structure worked calculations in your IA.
Don't compress three steps into one equation. Use a new display equation for each line of working, aligned at the equals sign. In Google Docs this means multiple separate equation blocks, or use a table with invisible borders to align them.
After each step, add a short text note explaining what you did — not just what the line says but why: "Differentiating with respect to x and setting f′(x) = 0 to locate the stationary point:". The examiner should never have to guess your reasoning.
Introduce every symbol the first time it appears: "Let T(t) represent the temperature in °C at time t minutes after the experiment began." Restate definitions if your IA is long and the variable hasn't appeared for several pages.
After a multi-step derivation, make the final result visually distinct. In Google Docs: highlight the result equation, right-click → Paragraph styles → Borders and shading, add a light box border. Or simply write "Therefore:" before the final display equation on its own line.
Pick one notation for each concept and stick to it throughout. Don't switch between f(x) and y, or between σ and s, or between log and ln unless you explicitly explain the change. Inconsistency is penalised under Criterion B.
If you're using Word rather than Google Docs, the equation editor works slightly differently but supports the same LaTeX shortcuts.
Press Alt + = (Windows) or go to Insert → Equation. A shaded equation box appears. The Equation tab appears in the ribbon with symbol groups.
Word accepts the same LaTeX commands as Google Docs inside equation boxes — type \frac, \sqrt, \int, \alpha etc. then press Space. Additionally, typing a/b then Space auto-converts to a fraction.
Click inside an equation → click the small triangle on the right edge of the equation box → choose Change to Display (centres the equation) or Change to Inline.
Never write 2*x or 3*π*r^2 in your IA document. Asterisks are spreadsheet notation. Use the equation editor to write proper multiplication: 2x or 3πr², with juxtaposition or a centred dot (·) for clarity.
Don't write 1/2 or (x+1)/(x-2) in running text for important results. Use the equation editor stacked fraction for anything that appears as a key result. The slash form is only acceptable in very simple inline mentions.
Variables should be in italics (x, n, t) but function names like sin, cos, ln should be upright. The equation editor handles this automatically — if you type outside the equation box and italicise manually, the style is inconsistent.
Pasting a photo of your GDC screen or a screenshot of Desmos showing a number is not typeset mathematics. Extract the value and write it properly in the equation editor with appropriate rounding and units.
Every numerical answer that represents a real-world quantity needs a unit. Write T = 47.3°C not just T = 47.3. Units can be typed normally outside the equation block or added inside using text mode: \text{ km/h}.
If an equation is more than about 6cm wide when inline, put it in a display block instead. Equations that wrap mid-line are confusing and look unprofessional. Break long derivations into multiple display lines aligned at the equals sign.
Use these alongside the equation editor to build a complete, well-presented exploration.
