Math Palette¶

The math palette is a visual editor that lets you build math expressions by clicking buttons instead of typing notation. It uses the MathQuill library to show a formatted preview as you build your answer.

Opening the Palette¶

To open the palette, click the yellow arrow ( ▶ ) to the right of any math answer box. The palette will appear below the input field.

If you do not see the yellow arrow, the question accepts text or numeric input without formatting — type directly into the box.

Palette Sections¶

The palette is organized into categories:

Category	What it inserts
Basic	+, −, ×, ÷, =, parentheses, absolute value bars
Fractions & Roots	Fraction template, square root, nth root
Exponents & Logs	Superscript (power), subscript, log, ln, log base n
Trig	sin, cos, tan, csc, sec, cot, and their inverses
Greek	π, θ, α, β, γ, λ, μ, σ, and others
Calculus	Integral, derivative, limit, summation
Misc	Infinity (∞), ≤, ≥, ≠, vectors, matrix templates

Navigating Inside an Expression¶

After inserting a template (like a fraction), your cursor lands in the first field. Use:

Tab — move to the next slot
Arrow keys — move within an expression
Backspace — delete the character to the left
Escape — exit a nested structure (move up out of a fraction denominator, etc.)

Switching Between Palette and Typed Input¶

You can mix palette clicks and typed input freely. For example:

Open the palette and click the fraction template
Type 3 in the numerator slot
Press Tab to move to the denominator
Type 4

This is equivalent to typing 3/4 directly in the input box.

Closing the Palette¶

Click the yellow arrow again, or click outside the palette. Your expression is preserved in the input box.

When the Palette Isn't Available¶

Some question types (string, essay, file upload) do not use the math palette. Number and calculated questions always show it. If a question expects a specific format (like a matrix or interval), the palette may show specialized buttons for that format.