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Math Symbols?

Where can I find math symbols e.g. the symbol for "DIVIDE BY"

Thanks
Ian

i-Book, Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Posted on May 18, 2006 1:39 AM

Reply
25 replies

May 18, 2006 2:26 AM in response to Red Dwarf

Hi Red:

Tried to follow your directions but obviously I don't understand as all I succeeded in doing was magnifying the screen.

Guess by now you figured out that all my advanced degrees are in English:-(

Red, if you would like to try again, that would be much appreciated:-)

What I am looking for is ÷

Thanks for trying.

Cheers!
Ian

May 18, 2006 3:17 AM in response to Ian

Hi again Ian,

Hehe... what you (inadvertantly) did is enable the Zoom feature. You did this by pressing Command(Apple) Option(Alt)8. Pressing that key combination again will disable the Zoom effect.

Do the following:

1. From the menubar select the International menu (it's the one with the flag on the right hand side of the menubar)
2. Select Show Keyboard Viewer

If you do not see the Keyboard Viewer in the International menu simply select Open International... and, from the Input Menu tab, tick Keyboard Viewer. It will now be visible from the International menu.

That's it. You'll now see the Keyboard Viewer and by pressing either Shift or Option(alt) or a combination of those keys you'll see different sympols appear on the keyboard viewer. Simply identify which one you want, locate the particular key on your keyboard and simply press the key combination to get it.

RD

May 18, 2006 3:37 AM in response to Red Dwarf

Hey Red, if I didn't know you better, I'd think this was a cruel joke:-)

Well here goes the last adventure:

<Hi again Ian,

Hehe... what you (inadvertantly) did is enable the Zoom feature. You did this by pressing Command(Apple) Option(Alt)8. Pressing that key combination again will disable the Zoom effect.

Do the following:

1. From the menubar select the International menu (it's the one with the flag on the right hand side of the menubar)
2. Select Show Keyboard Viewer

If you do not see the Keyboard Viewer in the International menu simply select Open International... and, from the Input Menu tab, tick Keyboard Viewer. *GOT THIS FAR BUT DON'T SEE THE KEYBOARD? *

It will now be visible from the International menu.
*GOT A FEELING THAT AFTER TICKING THE KEYBOARD VIEWER SOME OTHER ACTION MUST BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO SEE THE KEYBOARD VIEWER? *

That's it. You'll now see the Keyboard Viewer and by pressing either Shift or Option(alt) or a combination of those keys you'll see different sympols appear on the keyboard viewer. Simply identify which one you want, locate the particular key on your keyboard and simply press the key combination to get it.?

RD

THANKS AGAIN FOR TRYING.
Ian

May 18, 2006 3:43 AM in response to Ian

Ian,

Hey Red, if I didn't know you better, I'd think this was a cruel joke:-)


Cruel Joke?!?! Me? User uploaded file Naaahhhh 😉

When you select International (the flag) from the menubar, can you tell me exactly all the options you see? Can you also tell me what keyboard layout you are using (Is the flag American, British etc)?

RD

May 18, 2006 4:15 AM in response to Red Dwarf

Hi Red:

I'm going to give up on attempting to find that division symbol.

Now I lost the keyboard and retracing my steps did not bring it back:-(

Too many hours in search of something that I should have able to access instantaneously tells me that I have no aptitude for computers and explains why I am not a computer fan.

Some day, maybe Apple Computer Geniuses will sell a Mac for dummies whereby math symbols will be super easy to locate.

Red, I sincerely appreciate your valiant efforts.

All The Best,
Ian

i-Book Mac OS X (10.4.6)

May 18, 2006 4:27 AM in response to Ian

I wonder if I might be able to jump in and help here.

I've followed Red's steps and managed to find the division sign, so I'll try and explain how I did it.

As you've done, go to the International System Preferences. Select the 'Input Menu' tab/button.

You should then see a list of languages and flags etc., but at the top of the list should be the 'keyboard viewer' option. Select it by clicking the 'On' tickbox on the far left. Make sure also that the option at the bottom of the pane 'Show input menu in menu bar' is also selected.

If it wasn't there already there will be a flag in your menu bar. Click on it, and one of the menu listings should be 'Keyboard viewer'. Click on it to open the viewer.

What looks like a miniature keyboard appears. It allows you to try out various modifier keys (alt, command, ctrl, shift, etc) to see what effect that has on the character that will be inputted. If you try holding down alt, you should see that the '/' key becomes '÷', so you know that alt+/ will give you ÷.

One caveat, though. I think both Red and I are using a British keyboard; this maybe why the wrong symbol is being produced for you. In any case, keyboard viewer should let you see what does what.

Hope this goes some way to helping.

Yours,

W.

May 18, 2006 4:48 AM in response to walafrid

W, in appreciation of your kind offer to help, I will give this project another shot and follow your instructions as best I can.

I will let you know the result.

Thank you,
Ian

P.S. You have to admit, W, that if you were to tell someone of the steps required to perform this task and then asked them what task it was that you were attempting to accomplish they probably say "Solving The Da Vinci Code" :-))

May 18, 2006 4:59 AM in response to walafrid

Ok, W, her's what happened:

GOT TO THE FLAG IN THE MENU BAR.

WHEN I CLICKED ON THE FLAG, I WAS SHOWN TWO OPTIONS, NAMELY,

1) A CHECK MARK NEXT TO A FLAG FOLLOWED BY U.S.

2) OPEN INTERNATIONAL

UNFORTUNATELY, NO OPTION FOR KEYBOARD VIEWER SO I'M STILL STUCK AT THIS POINT

AT LEAST I GAVE IT A SHOT BUT IT SEEMS DESTINED THAT THE KEYBOARD VIEWER WILL NOT APPEAR ON MY IBOOK:-)

W, YOUR ASSISTANCE IS MUCH APPRECIATED.

BEST,
IAN

Math Symbols?

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