MathML

MathML is a special way to write math on computers. It uses a language called XML, which helps organize information so programs can understand it.

MathML is part of HTML5, the system used to build modern websites. Since 2015, it has been an official standard. This means many web browsers can read MathML and show math formulas clearly.

MathML makes sharing and viewing math easier, whether you’re reading a science article or solving problems for school.

History

MathML is a way to show math on the web. It started in April 1998 when the first version was released. It was made to help put math formulas into web pages. New versions came out over time. The latest big update was in October 2010.

In 2021, a simpler version called MathML Core was made. This helps web browsers show math better. It works well with CSS, a way to style web pages, and has rules to make it work across different browsers.

Presentation and semantics

MathML is a special language for showing math problems and equations on the internet. It can show the math and explain what it means. This helps everyone understand, even people who use special tools to read the computer.

MathML has two parts. One part, called Presentation MathML, shows how the math looks. It uses special tags to build the math, like putting numbers and symbols in rows or making fractions. The other part, called Content MathML, explains what the math means. It uses tags to show how numbers and operations work together. This makes MathML useful for sharing math on the web.

Example

The quadratic formula can be shown in a special way using MathML. This helps computers understand and show math problems clearly on websites.

MathML can hold the formula in different formats, like the one used by StarMath or LaTeX. Even though it might not be the shortest way to write math, MathML makes it easy for computers to display and work with math. People usually don’t write MathML by hand; computers help create it.

Embedding MathML in HTML/XHTML files

MathML is a type of XML. It can be placed inside other XML files like XHTML files by using special naming rules.

MathML can also be used in HTML5 files without special naming rules, unlike in XHTML.

Embedding MathML in OpenDocument Office Suite files

MathML works well with the OpenDocument Format. This format is used by LibreOffice, Collabora Online, and other office tools. Files like .odt, .ods, and .odp can include MathML inside special XML elements.

Microsoft Office does not naturally support MathML in its own file types like .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx. Instead, it uses its own way to show math. When saving equations as OpenDocument files, Microsoft Office might turn them into pictures that cannot be changed later. There are ways to fix this, such as updating Word, using the right settings, and choosing the "Save as MathML" option.

Other standards

Another standard called OpenMath helps store math formulas. It can work together with MathML, a way to show math on websites. OpenMath is also part of the OpenDocument office suite, which lets you add math to documents. Some office programs like LibreOffice and Collabora Online use MathML.

The OMDoc format is used for marking up bigger math ideas, like definitions and theorems. These can be written in either Content MathML or OpenMath and then changed to Presentation MathML for showing them.