{"id":4608,"date":"2023-11-15T17:33:59","date_gmt":"2023-11-15T22:33:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/?post_type=chapter&p=4608"},"modified":"2025-05-07T12:53:01","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T16:53:01","slug":"math-conversion-tools","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/chapter\/math-conversion-tools\/","title":{"raw":"Math Conversion Tools","rendered":"Math Conversion Tools"},"content":{"raw":"As of November 2023, it is not possible to go directly from a TeX document to an accessible PDF. One potential solution for converting LaTeX to an accessible PDF is MathPix.\r\n

MathPix<\/h2>\r\nMathPix<\/a> may be a useful tool for converting LaTeX to various formats including Word and PDF. MathPix is available free<\/a> (with some limitations) to educators.\r\n\r\nTo create an accessible PDF from LaTeX:\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. From the MathPix homepage, select Note<\/strong>.\r\n
      \r\n \t
    1. Choose New blank note<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
    2. Or Upload a .md, .tex, or .txt file<\/strong> to upload an existing document.\r\n
        \r\n \t
      1. Note, this may make more work than it saves.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
      2. Or write or paste LaTeX in left hand pane.<\/li>\r\n \t
      3. Take note of output preview in right hand pane.\"\"<\/li>\r\n \t
      4. Select Export File<\/strong> and choose PDF (with HTML) <\/strong>or DOCX<\/strong>.\r\n\"\"<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nTo make an existing math PDF more accessible:\r\n
          \r\n \t
        1. From the MathPix homepage, select PDF.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
        2. Choose existing PDF to upload.<\/li>\r\n \t
        3. Click Upload.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
        4. When completed, PDF options will appear in left hand toolbar.\r\n\"\"<\/li>\r\n \t
        5. Select <\/span>Convert to note.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t
        6. MathPix will display a side by side of LaTeX and potential output.<\/li>\r\n \t
        7. Select Export File<\/strong> and choose PDF (with HTML).<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nSome issues persist in conversion. Ensure content appears as intended before exporting.\r\n\r\nUse PDF only as a last option as it is an inherently inaccessible format.\r\n

          Math Converter<\/h2>\r\nIndiana University has developed a math converter tool<\/a> to convert AsciiMath, LaTeX or MathML to English text.\r\n\r\nFor example [latex]\r\n\r\nx=\\frac{-b\\pm\\sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}\r\n\r\n[\/latex] would read: \"x is equal to; the fraction with numerator; negative b plus or minus; the square root of b squared minus 4 a c, end root; and denominator 2 a; end fraction.\"\r\n\r\nThis could be useful for supplying alt text for an image of math, for people struggling to see math, and to understand the verbal syntax of math.","rendered":"

          As of November 2023, it is not possible to go directly from a TeX document to an accessible PDF. One potential solution for converting LaTeX to an accessible PDF is MathPix.<\/p>\n

          MathPix<\/h2>\n

          MathPix<\/a> may be a useful tool for converting LaTeX to various formats including Word and PDF. MathPix is available free<\/a> (with some limitations) to educators.<\/p>\n

          To create an accessible PDF from LaTeX:<\/p>\n

            \n
          1. From the MathPix homepage, select Note<\/strong>.\n
              \n
            1. Choose New blank note<\/strong><\/li>\n
            2. Or Upload a .md, .tex, or .txt file<\/strong> to upload an existing document.\n
                \n
              1. Note, this may make more work than it saves.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
              2. Or write or paste LaTeX in left hand pane.<\/li>\n
              3. Take note of output preview in right hand pane.\"\"<\/li>\n
              4. Select Export File<\/strong> and choose PDF (with HTML) <\/strong>or DOCX<\/strong>.
                \n\"\"<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                To make an existing math PDF more accessible:<\/p>\n

                  \n
                1. From the MathPix homepage, select PDF.<\/strong><\/li>\n
                2. Choose existing PDF to upload.<\/li>\n
                3. Click Upload.<\/strong><\/li>\n
                4. When completed, PDF options will appear in left hand toolbar.
                  \n\"\"<\/li>\n
                5. Select <\/span>Convert to note.<\/strong><\/li>\n
                6. MathPix will display a side by side of LaTeX and potential output.<\/li>\n
                7. Select Export File<\/strong> and choose PDF (with HTML).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                  Some issues persist in conversion. Ensure content appears as intended before exporting.<\/p>\n

                  Use PDF only as a last option as it is an inherently inaccessible format.<\/p>\n

                  Math Converter<\/h2>\n

                  Indiana University has developed a math converter tool<\/a> to convert AsciiMath, LaTeX or MathML to English text.<\/p>\n

                  For example [latex]x=\\frac{-b\\pm\\sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}[\/latex] would read: “x is equal to; the fraction with numerator; negative b plus or minus; the square root of b squared minus 4 a c, end root; and denominator 2 a; end fraction.”<\/p>\n

                  This could be useful for supplying alt text for an image of math, for people struggling to see math, and to understand the verbal syntax of math.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1655,"menu_order":6,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-4608","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":3853,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/4608","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1655"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/4608\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9581,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/4608\/revisions\/9581"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/3853"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/4608\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4608"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=4608"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=4608"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=4608"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}