Objects in a Document
Senior 2 · ICT
Objects in a Document
Lesson 4 of 5
16 min
Let's begin
Your Physics report says the room was "25 °C", the price list says "3 × 500 Frw", and the Mathematics homework needs the area of a circle, A = πr², with a proper square. None of °, ×, π or the raised 2 is on the keyboard. Word processors have tools for all of them.
A special character (or symbol) is a character that is not on the keyboard, for example © ° ± × ÷ ½ π é ç €.
Different fonts contain different symbols: if you cannot find one, try another font. Both programs also correct some things as you type, for example turning two hyphens between words into a dash.
A non-breaking space stops two words being split across two lines. Type it with Ctrl+Shift+Space (the same in Word). Use it in "25 °C", "500 Frw" and names such as "S2 B".
An equation object shows mathematics properly: fractions stacked, square roots, powers raised and Greek letters. In LibreOffice Writer:
In Word, choose Insert > Equation (or press Alt+=) and pick structures from the Equation tab.
Line by line: %pi gives π, and ^ raises the next item, so the first line shows A = πr² (the area of a circle). sqrt{ } draws a square-root sign over everything inside the braces (Pythagoras). over makes a fraction, and the braces put all of a + b on top, giving the mean of a and b. _ lowers the next item (x with a small 1), and times gives ×. <= gives the symbol ≤.
Braces matter: 2 over x + 1 puts only x under the line and then adds 1. For 2 divided by all of x + 1, type 2 over {x + 1}.
Tip
Braces are brackets for the editor. Whatever you want kept together, under a root, on top of a fraction or in a power, goes inside { }.
Where do you find the © symbol in LibreOffice Writer?
Solution: Insert > Special Character (or the Ω button, then More Characters). Find ©, double-click it and click Insert.
In a report, "25" ends one line and "°C" starts the next. How do you stop this?
Solution: Replace the ordinary space with a non-breaking space by typing Ctrl+Shift+Space between them.
Write the markup for the square root of 49.
Solution: sqrt{49}
Mutesi types 1 over a + b but wants 1 divided by the whole of a + b. Correct it.
Solution: 1 over {a + b}. Without braces, only a goes under the line.
Remember
Sources and credits
A = %pi r^2
c = sqrt{a^2 + b^2}
{a + b} over 2
x_1 times x_2
a <= b