Hello everyone,

My son is high-functioning autistic/Asperger's. He is quite intelligent but has an extreme dysgraphia problem right now that has become apparent since I started homeschooling him. The worst subject matter for him is mathematics since it apparent that he doesn't know his math facts (which I can teach him) but the dysgraphia is even worse since it takes him an extreme amount of time for him to complete any problem (this is a problem of his obsession with perfection combined a lack of fine motor skills).

I'm looking for a good solution for him for writing out his math problems (pre-algebra) and I'm hitting a bit of a wall. One solution would be LaTex and that would probably work with everything from algebra and up but it seems a bit difficult to work with multiplication and division problems where he needs to do carry numbers.

1. Is LaTex a good solution for him to enter long multplication? If not what would be better? I suppose one could try to create a long multiplication spreadsheet template, too.

2. If LaTex is a good solution, could you give me an example of using LaTex for long multiplication? How do you show work, carry forwards, etc. For example how would I show a short multiplication solution of
. I've attached a long multiplication solution from another website as a graphic file but I'm wondering how I would enter it in LaTex.

Thanks

Dave in Ashland, WI

Attached Thumbnails

 

Dave, one solution would be to use MathType. You didn't say in what software environment your son would be writing the long multiplication, but MathType would work in just about anything. There's a built-in equation editor in Microsoft Word, but MathType would allow you to save a long multiplication template to your toolbar, making it easier for your son to write the problems.



Bob Mathews
Design Science

I appreciate the suggestion about MathType (which I had downloaded a few hours before asking this question). Does MathType have a forum to ask questions about the product (I feel rather reluctant asking them in the LaTex forum) or is there another place on the Math Help site that would be a good place to ask them? I went over the the Design Science website but I could not find a forum over there.

Without taking up too much space in the LaTeX Help section of this Forum, I appreciate the opportunity to post a short reply. We don't have a MathType Help Forum, though there is a fair amount of activity about MathType on the newsgroups (groups.google.com, et.al.). In the Support section of our website we have three main sources of help: Technical Support Notices, Application Notes, and Tips & Tricks. We also appreciate the opportunity to resolve issues directly with our customers. You can reach our technical support staff at support@dessci.com, or by phone at 562-432-2920.

Bob Mathews
Design Science