University of Minnesota Duluth
Department of Chemical Engineering
ChE 3211
Chemical Engineering Laboratory I
Drs. Sander and Wang
Working with Microsoft Word 2007/2010 Equation Editor
The new versions of Microsoft Word handles the equations generated by Equation Editor
differently than previous versions. This document is available as a .docx file so you can
investigate how each example has been formatted so you may emulate it.
When creating your document requires the insertion of an equation, the equation should follow
on its own separate line,
𝐷=𝑎
𝑏
𝑐
and the sentence can continue afterwards. AutoCorrect will capitalize your first word on the
new line and this must be corrected back to the lower case. For documents generated in this
class, each equation must be numbered. As soon as you type after the equation,
𝐷=𝑎
𝑏
𝑐
the form of the equation changes from Display to Inline, and justification is altered. This can be
reversed by selecting the equation and clicking the downward pointing arrow. Notice the font
size of the variables in the fraction has been automatically adjusted. This change in font size
may be acceptable for your equation. To add the equation number properly, two tab stops
must be set. For this document with 1.25-inch left and right margins, a center tab stop must be
placed at 3 inches (the center of the margins) and a right tab stop at 6 inches (the right margin).
The following equation and equation number are correctly placed:
𝑏
𝐷 =𝑎𝑐 .
(1)
Also notice the equation concluded the sentence and punctuation followed as appropriate.
There are a number of occasions where the reduced font size of the variables my not be
acceptable, such as Equation 2,
𝑏𝑛, up
𝐷 = 𝑎𝑐
1, down
(2)
where the subscript and superscript terms have become difficult to read. In such a case, an
alternate method may be used to insert the equation. By placing the equation within a table, it
may remain as a Display, rather than an Inline equation.
𝑏 𝑛, up
𝐷=𝑎
𝑐1, down
1
(3)
Note this method will not allow punctuation to follow your equation without changing it to an
Inline format. The equation will automatically center. The equation number cell must have the
cell alignment altered to right justified and a centered vertical alignment. Upon removal of the
table borders,
𝐷=𝑎
𝑏 𝑛, up
𝑐1, down
(4)
the equation displays similar to the tab method except the font size has been maintained.
If your equation is large, the cell size may need to be adjusted. The first and third cells must be
equal size so when the equation is centered in the middle cell, it is also centered between the
margins. Select the table and right click. Choose Table Properties from the list. Under the Table
tab, check Preferred width and adjust to 6.15 inches (for right and left margins of 1.25 inches)
(note the table is slightly larger than the margins, allowing the equation numbers to line up at
the right margin). Under the Column tab, click Next Column, which will unselect columns 1-3,
and select only column 1. Set the column Preferred width to 0.5 inches. Click Next Column
twice to select column 3. Set the column Preferred width to match column 1.
𝐷=𝑎
𝑏 𝑛, up
𝑏 𝑛, up
𝑏 𝑛, up
𝑏 𝑛, up
𝑏 𝑛, up
+𝑎
+𝑎
+𝑎
+𝑎
𝑐1, down
𝑐1, down
𝑐1, down
𝑐1, down
𝑐1, down
𝑏 𝑛, up
𝑏 𝑛, up
𝑏 𝑛, up
𝑏 𝑛, up
+𝑎
+𝑎
+𝑎
+𝑎
𝑐1, down
𝑐1, down
𝑐1, down
𝑐1, down
(5)
The large equation will now neatly display with the wider center column.
Some equation terms need to be identified separately from the variables and font must be
adjusted. Equation 6 presents this with a natural log function,
𝐷=𝑎
𝑏 𝑛, up
𝑎
+ ln ( )
𝑐1, down
𝑏
(6)
where the font has been set to normal, differentiating it from the variables. Otherwise it would
appear as a mathematical operation of l times n times the quantity a divided by b. When
referring to variables in the text, they must appear as they in the equation, i.e., they must be
italicized and in the same font. This body text is in Calibri (sans serif) and the equation text is in
Cambria, therefore any variables in the text must also be in the Cambria serif font.
For sample calculations with units, the units are not in italics.
𝑞 = (3.5 W m-2 )(2.5 m2 ) = 8.75 W
Sample calculation equations are generally not numbered, but the preceding text may reference
the equation that is being used and a table where the values are located, e.g. “Using Equation
12 and the data collected during the experiment conducted at 25°C from Table 3, …”
2