Last Updated on 2024-07-29 by Clay
Although PowerPoint (PPT) by Microsoft has always been the go-to for creating presentations, in recent years I’ve found myself preferring Google Slides for making slides.
Firstly, it’s online, so you can access it anytime and anywhere without worrying about losing your data since it’s stored in the cloud. Secondly, it allows for easy collaboration with others.
Of course, PowerPoint now also offers these features, but my initial impression of online editing came from Google Slides, so I naturally stuck with Google.
However, despite the convenience of Google Slides, due to the nature of my work, I sometimes need to create slides that explain mathematical formulas. Unfortunately, Google Slides does not natively support custom mathematical formulas like PowerPoint does.
But, that’s just a matter of native support. Today, I will briefly document how to install some additional add-ons to create mathematical formulas.
MathType
First, let me introduce MathType. MathType is an extension that supports Google Slides and Google Docs, and you can download it through the add-ons option.
As the name implies, MathType is a tool that allows you to input mathematical symbols and formulas through a graphical interface.
To install the add-on, first, select Add-ons > Get add-ons from the top menu to open the store.
Next, you can search for MathType in the search box to find the add-on.
As shown in the picture below.
Let’s not waste any time and install it right away. Don’t worry, it’s essentially free (no surprise charges).
Once installed, you should be able to open the add-on’s interface by selecting Add-ons > MathType > Open MathType from the top menu.
You will see the following interface:
Input the desired mathematical formulas (you can mostly do this by clicking with your mouse), then choose the prominent red Insert option at the bottom right to insert the formula into the slide or document!
Advantages: Quick to process, convenient graphical interface
Disadvantages: Only 30 days free trial, needs to be purchased after that
Auto-LaTeX Equations
Another tool I recommend is a completely free tool for inserting mathematical formulas. In short, it’s a text box generator that supports LaTeX syntax.
Introduction to LaTeX from Wikipedia
LATEX (/ˈlɑːtɛx/, often pronounced /ˈlɑːtɛk/ or /ˈleɪtɛk/, written as “LATEX”) is a typesetting system based on TeX, developed in the early 1980s by American computer scientist Leslie Lamport. Using this format system, even users without typesetting and programming knowledge can fully utilize the powerful features provided by TeX without having to design or proofread each part personally. This allows them to produce high-quality printed documents in a few days, or even a few hours. This feature is especially prominent in generating complex tables and mathematical formulas, making it very suitable for generating high-quality scientific and mathematical, and physics documents. This system is also suitable for generating all other types of documents from simple letters to complete books. LaTeX uses TeX as its formatting engine, with the current version being LaTeX2e (written as “LATEX2ε“).
To use it, you need to first create a text box and write in the LaTeX syntax, enclosing the syntax with $$ symbols.
Next, we need to click the Render Equations button on the add-on for the text box to be converted into a formula.
For those unfamiliar with LaTeX syntax, this tool might not be as convenient, and you might need to use some online LaTeX editors.
For example: https://latex.codecogs.com/eqneditor/editor.php
There are many such online editing tools available. You can adjust the syntax and observe the rendered result below to see if it matches the formula you want.
Advantages: Free, you can donate if you sincerely want to support it
Disadvantages: Slow formula conversion, not user-friendly for those unfamiliar with LaTeX syntax
I hope the two add-ons documented today can help some people. If there are any other more convenient and useful methods, please feel free to let me know! Thanks～
References
- Use equations in a document – Google Docs Editors Help
- How to Insert Equations in Google Slides? A Simple Way!