Use keyboard shortcuts
Updated 04 Aug 2023
When you answer questions in a player, you can cut, copy, and paste using the keyboard. You also can use keyboard shortcuts to enter special characters and symbols. For example, if you enter:
\sqrt
the square root symbol appears:
Math questions also include a palette of symbols where you can enter the special characters by selecting a palette icon. See Use the math palette for details on entering special characters and symbols from the palette.
- Highlight the text.
- Press and hold down the Control key.
- Press the c key
- Release both keys.
- Highlight the text.
- Press and hold down the Control key.
- Press the x key
- Release both keys.
- Place your cursor where you want to paste the text.
- Press and hold down the Control key.
- Press the v key.
- Release both keys.
To use this symbol... | Enter this shortcut... | For example |
---|---|---|
+ (plus) | Plus sign on keyboard | |
- (minus) | Dash on keyboard | |
(plus or minus) | \plusminus | |
= (equal) | Equal sign on keyboard | |
(multiplication dot) | * (asterisk)
(For example: 2 * 3) |
|
(times sign) | \times
(For example: 2 \times 3) |
|
(divided by) | \divide | |
< (less than) | Left angle sign on keyboard
(For example: 2 < 3) |
|
(less than or equal to) | < = (left angle sign and an equal sign)
(For example: 2 <= 3) |
|
< (greater than) | Right angle sign on keyboard
(For example: 3 > 2) |
|
(greater than or equal to) | > = (right angle sign and an equal sign)
(For example: 3 >= 2) |
|
(not equal) | <> (left and right angle signs)
(For example: 3 <> 2) |
To use this symbol... | Enter this shortcut... | For example |
---|---|---|
(fraction) |
/
(Type the numerator, then a slash, then the denominator. For example: 2 /3) |
|
(superscript) | Shift (Type the Shift key, then the up arrow () to create a superscript box where you can enter a number.) |
|
(subscript) | Shift (Type the Shift key, then the down arrow () to create a subscript box where you can enter a number.) |
|
(superscript and subscript) | \supsub
(Creates a template where you can enter the base value in the box on the left, and the superscript and subscript in the boxes on the right.) |
(empty template) (template with values) |
(double subscripts) | \subsub
(Creates a template where you can enter a subscript in the box on the left, the base value in the box in the middle, and a subscript in the box on the right.) |
(empty template) (template with values) |
(absolute value) | \abs
(Creates a template where you can enter a value in the blue box.) |
(empty template)
(template with value) |
(square root) | \sqrt
(Creates a template where you can enter a value in the blue box.) |
(empty template)
(template with value) |
(Nth-root) | \nrt
(Creates a template where you can enter the values in the blue boxes.) |
(empty template)
(template with values) |
(left conditional arrow) | \larrow
(For example, a \larrow b) |
|
(right conditional arrow) | \rarrow
(For example, a \rarrow b) |
|
(biconditional arrow) | \biarrow
(For example, a \biarrow b) |
|
(vertical bar) | \textbar
(For example: 5 \textbar 15) |
|
(empty set) | \empty
(For example: V = \empty) |
|
(union) | \cup
(For example: A \cup B) |
|
(intersection) | \cap
(For example: A \cap B) |
|
(element of) | \element
(For example: A \element B) |
|
(not an element of) | \nelement
(For example: A \nelement B) |
|
(subset of) | \subset
(For example: A \subset B) |
|
(not a subset of) | \nsubset
(For example: A \nsubset B) |
|
(proper subset of) | \propersub
(For example: A \propersub B) |
|
(not a proper subset of) | \npropersub
(For example: A \npropersub B) |
|
(angle) | \angle
(For example: \angle ABC) |
|
(logical and) | \and
(For example: A \and B) |
|
(logical or) | \or
(For example: A \or B) |
|
(logical not) | \not
(For example: \not A) |
|
(equivalent) | Tilde on keyboard | |
(infinity) | \inf
(For example: A = \inf) |
|
(imaginary unit) | i on keyboard
(For example: a = bi = 0) |
|
(Euler's number) | e on keyboard
(For example: e = 0) |
|
(gradient) | \grad
(For example: \grad f = 2y) |
|
(partial derivative) | \partiald
(For example, \partiald x) |
|
(integral) | \int
(For example: \int f(x) dx |
|
(definitive integral) | \dint
(Creates a template where you can enter values in the blue boxes. For example 2 \dint 3) |
|
(over-bar) | \bar
(Creates a template where you can enter a value in the blue box.) |
(empty template)
(template with value) |
(double overbar) | \dbar
(Creates a template where you can enter a value in the blue box.) |
(empty template)
(template with value) |
(hat) | \hat
(Creates a template where you can enter a value in the blue box.) |
(empty template)
(template with value) |
To use this letter... | Enter this shortcut... |
---|---|
lower-case alpha | \alpha |
lower-case beta |
\beta |
lower-case gamma | \gamma |
upper-case delta | \cdelta |
lower-case delta | \delta |
lower-case epsilon | \epsilon |
lower-case eta | \eta |
lower-case theta | \theta |
lower-case lambda | \lambda |
lower-case mu | \mu |
lower-case pi | \pi |
lower-case rho | \rho |
lower-case sigma | \sigma |
upper-case sigma (summation) | \sum |
(summation with limits) | \lsum () |
lower-case tau | \tau |
lower-case phi | \phi |
phi variant | \vphi |
lower-case chi | \chi |
psi | \psi |
lower-case omega | \omega |