Equation Numbering

PART 1

Here is an alternative to the method that Jennifer Michelson has described. It does not use tables; it involves Fields and Field Codes and the paragraph can also be cross-referenced. A field is a container for a wide variety of data such as text, numbers, dates, formulas, and etceteras. The field can be automated; for example, it can contain a number that will be automatically incremented if Word recognizes that another of the same type of field exists in your document. There are many different types of fields, and you can customize them. The most commonly known field is used for labeling page numbers for your document.

If you want to learn more about fields, search office.microsoft.com for the following topics: “Field Codes in Word” and “Insert and Format Field Codes in Word.”

My instructions show how to create a paragraph style with center and right alignment tabs, a ready for use equation field at the center-aligned tab, and a field at the right-hand side of the page that is fixed with the right-aligned tab.

How to create a paragraph style for numbered equations:

1. Using the Normal paragraph style, create an empty paragraph.

2. Right-mouse button click on the new paragraph to open a pop-up menu, then select Paragraph to open the Paragraph dialog box.

3. Click on the Tabs button to open the Tabs dialog box.

4. In the Tab Position text box, type in the number of inches where the center of your page is located; for example, 3 for three inches. It should be halfway between your page margins.

5. Select the Center alignment radio button.

6. Click the Set button to create the center-aligned tab. Your ready to use equation field will be placed there.

7. In the Tab Position text box, type in the number of inches where the right margin of your page is located; for example, 6.5 for six and a half inches.

8. Select the Right alignment radio button.

9. Click the Set button to create the right-aligned tab. The number field will be placed there.

10. Close all the dialogs to return to your document.

11. Assure the page cursor is located in your new paragraph.

12. Press the Tab key to move the cursor to the center-aligned tab.

13. From the Main Menu, click Insert, and then from the Symbols group, click Equation to insert a ready-to-use equation field. Now let’s create the equation number field.

14. To the right, but outside of the equation field you inserted, click to place the cursor to the right of the equation field.

15. Press the Tab key to move the cursor to the right-aligned paragraph tab.

16. Type in a left-hand parentheses, “(.“ This will enclose the field from the left with a parentheses. The field will automatically create one for the right.

17. Type in Ctrl+F9 to insert a blank field. It will appear with curly braces and be high-lighted in gray. The cursor should now appear inside the field.

18. Using uppercase letters, type in LISTNUM to give the field a type. It is of the type LISTNUM, a type of field for creating numbered lists.

19. Press the Space key and type in the name of the field; for example, Equation. This name distinguishes this LISTNUM field from any other fields that you may create so that the sequence of numbers are kept separate from each other. At this point, you can add switches so that you can format the number and add sub levels to the number, but that’s beyond the scope of this instruction.

20. You can now press Alt+F9 to toggle between the code in the field and what the field will actually display. You can also right-mouse button click to use the pop-up menu to toggle between views.

21. Right-mouse button click on the paragraph to open the pop-up menu, point to STYLES, then select “Save Selection as New Quick Style…” to open the Create Style From New Formatting dialog box.

22. In the Name text box, type in “Numbered Equation” and the name for the new paragraph style.

Now let’s save the paragraph and its contents as, what Word calls, a Building Block. To create an empty, new, paragraph with all that stuff in it, you have to save it as a building block. You can insert the building block just like inserting a new paragraph.

23. Entirely high-light the new paragraph and its fields.

24. From the Main Menu, click Insert, then from the Symbols group, click the tiny-little triangle located on the Equation button to open it up as a drop-down list.

25. At the very bottom of the list, click on “Save Selection to Equation Gallery” to open the New Building Block dialog box.

26. In the Name text box, type in a name for your building block; for example, “Numbered Equation Paragraph.” With this name, you’ll be able to distinguish it from other building blocks.

27. In the Options drop-down list, select “Insert Content in It’s Own Paragraph.”

28. Click OK to save your work.

Because each posting is limited to a specific number of characters, See Part 2 that describes how to insert and use the paragraph formatted for numbered equations.

Thanks to Mr. Foxcraft for his contribution.  I prefer his method.  It harkens back to the method I used for my dissertation too long ago.  The field codes have been there since the beginning and so his method is robust.  Most importantly, it allows for cross-referencing.