Re: Trying to use Mathematica as "word processor" for my math homework
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg44379] Re: Trying to use Mathematica as "word processor" for my math homework
- From: "Hans Michel" <hansjm at bellsouth.net>
- Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2003 05:16:22 -0500 (EST)
- References: <bo7oud$aj1$1@smc.vnet.net>
- Reply-to: "Hans Michel" <hansjm at bellsouth.net>
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
Bob
I had done this in (typesetting assignments) 1990 - 1991 for a math class I
took and a physics class also. At the time my part time work was as a
graphic artist/typesetter. At first doing assignements using mathematica was
tedious. This was not due to formatting issues but as a result of doing the
homework as I typed. When I did it by hand then retyped, the process was
very smooth. Doing assingments using mathematica help me solve a lot of
issues with the program especially this was done in a windows/dos
environment.
The better thing would be to use a style sheet (Can you get additional style
sheet from wolfram). Better yet make one your self. Make extensive use of
the Options Inspector. It would be a good idea to make up a naming
convention.
For example Assignment Style Sheet
Header
AuthorGroup: (List repeatable, an assignment can be group assignments)
FirstName:
LastName:
MiddleInitial:
Class:
Assignment Number:
Due Date: (Ideas is to include <<Miscellaneous`Calendar` for this and the
Date[] with
StringReplace[StringDrop[StringDrop[ToString[RotateLeft[DaysPlus[Take[Date[]
,3],14],1]],1],-1],", "-> "/"]
Note that number 14 stand for 14 days from current date.
or use
Cell[TextData[{ValueBox["MonthName"],"/",
ValueBox["Day"], "/",
ValueBox["Year"] }], "Text"] This though is system time.
How to get future or past dates?)
Question:
Parts/Sections:
Question Text:
Hints:
Notes:
Equations:
Figures:
Tables:
Source:
Book:
Authors Group: (You can use same as above with diferent format)
Publisher:
Edition:
Year:
Chapter:
Page:
Answer:
Notes:
Workouts:
Equations:
Figures:
Tables:
References:
Source:
Book:
Authors Group: (You can use same as above with diferent format)
Publisher:
Edition:
Year:
Chapter:
Page
Hans
"Bob Harris" <nitlion at mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:bo7oud$aj1$1 at smc.vnet.net...
> Howdy,
>
> I have recently returned to grad school, and am attempting to use
> mathematica as my "word processor" for my math-related homework. There
are
> a few annoying things that keep happening to my attempts at this, and I
> thought I'd describe them here in hopes that someone would have some
better
> suggestions.
>
> For an example of what I've been doing, see
> http://www.cse.psu.edu/~rsharris/spamlog/ExampleHW.nb
>
> My motivations are (a) it will give me a clean output that will be easier
on
> the grader's eyes, (b) it will make it easier for me to edit changes to
> equations, etc., and (c) I can include mathematica-generated plots and
> import drawings from other packages.
>
> I've been doing this with some success from the beginning of the fall
> semester. I'm not incredibly sophistocated with mathematica, but have
> managed to do this using only InputForm and StandardForm cells (i.e. I
have
> set the cells to DisplayAs one of those two forms, depending on whether
the
> cell contains running text or equations). This sort of works, but there
are
> many shortcomings:
>
> 1) Mathematica likes to auto format things, so it is difficult for me to
get
> things to line up the way I want them to. This has made the inclusion of
> mathematical symbology in my running text difficult. I think I have
> discovered that displaying a cell as Text rather than InputForm is better,
> but haven't tried it much yet.
>
> 2) In many cases when I include a plot, or an imported drawing, when I
print
> out the notebook I get an unnecessary page feed before and/or after the
> plot/drawing.
>
> 3) Font sizes on the printout don't seem to correlate with font sizes on
the
> screen. The default size of 12 pt is fine to read on the screen, but is
too
> small on the printed page. Very surprisingly, it is not as large on paper
> as wehen I use 12 pt fonts in other programs.
>
> 4) Trying to set font sizes on things seems like a nightmare of hard to
> comprehend results. E.g. slecting a cell and setting the font size many
> times seems to have no effect whatsoever.
>
> 5) ... others ...
>
> I've also looked at style sheets a little bit. Like I said, I'm not very
> mathematica-sophistocated, and am trying to find a fairly quick solution
> that I can implement without having to dig *too* deep (am willing to dig
> some, but don't really have the time with my current class and teaching
load
> to spend a lot of time with this).
>
> It seems like what I'm after is the same sort of set up that someone
writing
> a paper for publicatiojn would need. Have looked for such examples, but
> have not found any.
>
> Thanks for any help or suggestions,
> Bob Harris
>