Problem with textbook display of exponents

[Bill Triplett]

I am sorry for bringing it up again if this has already been mentioned, but I am finding it can be almost impossible to correctly interpret exponents while in textbook entry mode.

In settings, check the options for both textbook entry and display. Try running the solve app, press Symb, and then input an equation such as R=20*(D/L)^2 where an exponent is outside the parentheses. After the equation shows up in the symbolic listing, visually it has the D raised to a power, but not the L.

!

If you take great care to move the cursor around inside the edited equation, you can see the exponent is not only for the D. It is for both the D and the L, but anyone reading the equation without the greatest of care would think otherwise. It just looks like D squared over L, with no parenthesis.

My guess is the current internal process for stripping off parenthesis is too aggressive. To avoid making errors, I had to ditch the textbook entry and display.

I have software version 2013 8 13 (5106) CAS version 1.1.0.

[Han]

(12-16-2013 03:17 AM)Bill Triplett Wrote:  I am sorry for bringing it up again if this has already been mentioned, but I am finding it can be almost impossible to correctly interpret exponents while in textbook entry mode.

In settings, check the options for both textbook entry and display. Try running the solve app, press Symb, and then input an equation such as R=20*(D/L)^2 where an exponent is outside the parentheses. After the equation shows up in the symbolic listing, visually it has the D raised to a power, but not the L.

!

If you take great care to move the cursor around inside the edited equation, you can see the exponent is not only for the D. It is for both the D and the L, but anyone reading the equation without the greatest of care would think otherwise. It just looks like D squared over L, with no parenthesis.

My guess is the current internal process for stripping off parenthesis is too aggressive. To avoid making errors, I had to ditch the textbook entry and display.

I have software version 2013 8 13 (5106) CAS version 1.1.0.

Update to the newest firmware.

[Tim Wessman]

You should update, but yes this definitely could use some improvement to not hide the ( ) when there is a divide operator under the power node.