1. How to create web pages using mathematical expressions – introduction to MathML
Radoslaw Jedynak, PhD
Poland, Technical University of Radom
Faculty of Teacher Training
Department of Mathematics

2. Basic Methods of Displaying Mathematics on the Web
1. Images - typically graphic formats are GIF or JPEG
We can insert an image in HTML document writing command: <img src= ”file.ext”>
This solution has some limitations:
poor quality of the images (resolution 72 or 96 dpi)
equations displayed as images cannot be fully integrated with the surrounding text
- web page has long download times

3. Basic Methods of Displaying Mathematics on the Web
2. PDF Files
We can insert a PDF file in HTML document writing command <a href=”file.pdf”>.
These files have high quality for viewing and printing. The solution has some limitations:
- the display of PDF files requires a special viewer application like Acrobat Reader
- PDF files cannot be well integrated with the Web environment

4. Basic Methods of Displaying Mathematics on the Web
3. Other simple solutions of displaying mathematical content on the Web
HTML commands <sup> - superscripts and <sub> subscripts such as
x³+ y_i+ z^j
for x3 + yi+zj
ASCII charts, such as
1 + x + y

5. Basic Methods of Displaying Mathematics on the Web
4 MathML
Mathematical Markup Language (MathML) is an XML application for describing mathematical formulas on the Web. The first specification of the standard MathML was published by W3C in
MathML 2.0 was published in October Math Working Group works over recommendation MathML 3.0 at present.

6. Introduction to MathML language
It is possible to encode mathematical expressions in MathML language with two kinds of markups:
- Presentation Markup
Content Markup
Presentation MathML focuses on the display of an equation but the content MathML focuses on the semantic meaning of the expression.

7. Presentation Markup
MathML Presentation Markup has about 30 elements and 50 attributes. All elements begin with letter m.Example of Presentation Markup encodes x + y :
<math> - element is required for any piece of MathML
<mrow> expression is displayed in a horizontal row
<mi>x</mi> - identifier (variable)
<mo>+</mo> operator
<mi>y</mi>
</mrow>
</math>

8. Content Markup
MathML Content Markup consists of about 150 elements and 12 attributes. Example of Content Markup encodes x + y :
<math>
<apply> - element is used to apply operators or functions to expressions
<plus/> - operator
<ci>x</ci> - identifier (variable)
<ci>y</ci>
</apply>
</math>

9. Comparison Content Markup and Presentation Markup
MathML Presentation Markup
MathML Content Markup

10. Presentation Markup - examples
Fraction
Square Root
Superscript

11. Presentation Markup - example

12. Presentation Markup - example
A <mfrac> element may only have exactly two child element
A <mrow> element has to be used as a wrapper element

13. Native MathML Support:
MathML on the Web
Browser Statistics:
Native MathML Support:
Mozilla 1.0
~10 %
Mozilla
MathML Plugin:
Internet Explorer
MathPlayer ( IE 5.5)
Integre techexplorer
~ 85 %

14. Universal MathML Stylesheet
MathML on the Web
XHTML MathML 2.0
Universal MathML Stylesheet
(XSLT Stylesheet)
Plugin Code Required
MIME Type: HTML
Only Presentation Markup
MIME Type: XML
IE + MathPlayer
IE + techexplorer
Mozilla

15. MathML on the Web ( XHTML +MathML )
XML Declaration

16. MathML on the Web ( XHTML +MathML )
Universal MathML Stylesheet

17. MathML on the Web ( XHTML +MathML )
Document Type Declaration

18. MathML on the Web ( XHTML +MathML )
XHTML Namespace
MathML Namespace

19. Interpretation of example of MathML Presentation Markup by a) Mozilla Firefox, b) Amaya

20. Tips for Internet Explorer
If we want to display correctly this example in Internet Explorer we have to download the following files:
mathml.xsl - from
ctop.xsl - from
pmathml.xsl - from
pmathmlcss.xsl – from
xhtml-math11-f.dtd – from
and save for example in the folder which includes the files with MathML code.

21. Authoring and Editing MathML
We can find the list of recommended software tools supporting MathML on the Web of W3C Math Consortium.

22. DragMath editor
DragMath is an open-source equation editor written in Java. This editor can be simply run within a web browser as a Java applet. We can build up mathematical expressions in a traditional two dimensional way because DragMath is "drag and drop" editor .

23. WIRIS editor
WIRIS Editor is WYSIWYG editor for maths expressions. The editor is based on Java technology which allows it to be supported by any Web browser and any Operating System.
We can also create mathematical expression on the producer Web

24. Thank you for your attention