Writing and Editing questions involving Equations/Math

[SnookerUSF]

Hello,

If there is already a post on this topic I could be directed to it that would be most helpful, but I was wondering if there are some standardized, or in lieu of explicit standards, handy methods for explaining to the moderator how to read an equation or math question.

For example if I want a reader to say 1/(ln p), or e^x+ x^2-how does one do this efficiently and effectively?

It is a minor issue but I would appreciate any advice, I also figured it was pretty slow on the board as well.

Thank you in advance,
Ahmad

[Rothlover]

I usually bracket it by the equation for the benefit of a reader who might not know how to properly say it. Even science-tarded mods can handle things like "e to the x plus x squared," or "one over the natural log of p." Thats just how I've personally done that, though I've yet to encounter it as an issue in events I've TD'ed.

[sweaver]

Since most moderators are not math people, it is usually better to write out in words what they are to say, rather than symbols. English people, as a rule, do not speak the language of math symbols.

"E to the X" rather than the shorter symbolic language, for instance.

[Irreligion in Bangladesh]

Illinois' official State Series questions puts text (Twelve x to the fourth power minus seven x squared minus one) in the normal question text field. They also add a box on the page offset from the question proper for the math shorthand and occasionally some work for the problem.