Location: Answer questions in your player > Use keyboard shortcuts

Use keyboard shortcuts

When you are answering 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:

Square root symbol

Math courses also include a palette of symbols where you can enter the special characters by clicking an icon on the palette. See Use the math palette for details on entering special characters and symbols from the palette in math courses.

Keyboard shortcuts are listed in the following tables:

Copy and paste shortcuts

Common operation symbols

Math function symbols

Greek letters

 

Copy and paste shortcuts

To copy text:

  1. Highlight the text you want to copy.
  2. Press and hold down the Control key.
  3. Press the c key
  4. Release both keys.

To cut text:

  1. Highlight the text you want to cut.
  2. Press and hold down the Control key.
  3. Press the x key
  4. Release both keys.

To paste copied or cut text:

  1. Place your cursor where you want to paste the text.
  2. Press and hold down the Control key.
  3. Press the v key.
  4. Release both keys.

Common operation symbols

To use this symbol... Enter this shortcut... For example
+  (plus) Plus sign on keyboard 2 + 3
-  (minus) Dash on keyboard 2 - 3
=  (equal) Equal sign on keyboard 2 squared = 4
(multiplication dot)

* (asterisk)

(For example: 2 * 3)

 2 times 3 with a multiplication dot
(times sign)

\times

(For example: 2 \times 3)

 2 times 3 with an x symbol to indicate multiplication
(divided by) \divide 2 divided by 3
<  (less than)

Left angle sign on keyboard

(For example: 2 < 3)

 2 less-than 3
(less than or equal to)

< = (left angle sign and an equal sign)

(For example: 2 <= 3)

 2 less than or equal to 3
<  (greater than)

Right angle sign on keyboard

(For example: 3 > 2)

 3 greater than 2
(greater than or equal to)

> = (right angle sign and an equal sign)

(For example: 3 >= 2)

 3 greater than or equal to 2
(not equal)

<> (left and right angle signs)

(For example: 3 <> 2)

 3 not equal to 2

 

Math function symbols

To use this symbol... Enter this shortcut... For example
fraction icon  (fraction)

/

(Type the numerator, then a slash, then the denominator. For example: 2 /3)

 2 over 3 in fraction form
Superscript icon (superscript)

Control Shift =

(Type the Control key, then the Shift key, then the equal (=) key to create a superscript box where you can enter a number.)

 2 to the power of 3
Subscript icon  (subscript)

Control =

(Type the Control key, then the equal (=) key to create a subscript box where you can enter a number.)

 2 followed by subscript 3
Superscript and subscript icon  (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 boxes where you can enter a whole number followed by a stacked fraction (empty template)

2 followed by the fraction 3 over 3 (template with values)
Double subscripts icon  (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.)

 A template for a subscript, the base number, and another subscript (empty template)

Subscript 3 followed by base value 2 followed by another subscript 3 (template with values)
Absolute value icon  (absolute value)

\abs

(Creates a template where you can enter a value in the blue box.)

Absolute value template where you can enter the value between two vertical bars (empty template)

Example of absolute value of 2 (template with value)
Square root icon  (square root)

\sqrt

(Creates a template where you can enter a value in the blue box.)

Square root template(empty template)

Square root of 2 (template with value)
Nth root icon (Nth-root)

\nrt

(Creates a template where you can enter the values in the blue boxes.)

Nth root templace(empty template)

Square root of the square root of 3 (template with values)
Vertical bar icon (vertical bar)

\textbar

(For example: 5 \textbar 15)

 5 vertical bar 15
Empty set icon (empty set)

\empty

(For example: V = \empty)

 V = empty set
Union symbol (union)

\cup

(For example: A \cup B)

 The union of sets A and B
Intersection symbol (intersection)

\cap

(For example: A \cap B)

 The intersection of A and B
Element of icon (element of)

\element

(For example: A \element B)

 A is an element of B
Not an element of icon (not an element of)

\nelement

(For example: A \nelement B)

 A is not an element of B
Subset of icon (subset of)

\subset

(For example: A \subset B)

 A is a subset of B
Not a subset of icon (not a subset of)

\nsubset

(For example: A \nsubset B)

 A is not a subset of B
Proper subset icon (proper subset of)

\propersub

(For example: A \propersub B)

 A is a proper subset of B
(not a proper subset of)

\npropersub

(For example: A \npropersub B)
Angle icon (angle)

\angle

(For example: \angle ABC)

 The angle of ABC
Logical AND icon (logical and)

\and

(For example: A \and B)

 A AND B
Logical OR icon (logical or)

\or

(For example: A \or B)

 A OR B
Locical NOT icon (logical not)

\not

(For example: \not A)

 NOT A
Tilde icon (equivalent) (equivalent) Tilde on keyboard A is equivalent to B
Infinity symbol icon (infinity)

\inf

(For example: A = \inf)

 A = infinity
Italic i icon (imaginary unit)

i on keyboard

(For example: a = bi = 0)

 a + bi = 0
Italic e icon (Euler's number)

e on keyboard

(For example: e = 0)

 e = 0
Gradient icon (gradient)

\grad

(For example: \grad f = 2y)

 The gradient of f = 2y
Integral icon (integral)

\int

(For example: \int f(x) dx

 Integral f(x) dx
An icon showing an empty blue box with a bar above (over-bar)

\bar

(Creates a template where you can enter a value in the blue box.)

An empty blue box with an overbar (empty template)

An x entered into the blue box to display x with an overbar (template with value)
An icon showing an empty blue box with two bars above (double overbar)

\dbar

(Creates a template where you can enter a value in the blue box.)

An empty blue box with two overbars (empty template)

An x entered into the blue box to display x with two overbars (template with value)
An icon showing an empty blue box with a hat symbol above (hat)

\hat

(Creates a template where you can enter a value in the blue box.)

An empty blue box with a hat symbol above (empty template)

An x entered into the blue box to display x with a hat symbol above (template with value)

 

Greek letters

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 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 \sum
lower-case phi \phi
lower-case chi \chi

See also:

Use the player with JAWS

 

Copyright © 2014 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Pearson Higher Education | Legal Notice | Privacy Notice | Permissions | Accessibility