How-To

How to Add an Equation in Google Slides

By Adam Davidson

Published April 11, 2023

Do you want to add mathematical symbols to your presentation? Learn how to add an equation in Google Slides in this guide.

Mathematical notation can be beautiful to look at, but it can also be a real pain to try to recreate it in a document. Many word processing apps come with built-in equation editors that allow you to create complex equations to insert into your documents.

If you’re working on a Google Slides presentation, and you need to insert some mathematical equations, there’s a small problem: there’s no native equation editor. It is possible to create basic equations using symbols, but for more complex equations you’re going to need a little extra help.

Learn how to add an equation in Google Slides below.

How to Add an Equation in Google Slides Using Special Characters

If you’re only looking to add a simple equation to Google Slides, then you may be able to create it using special characters. These characters include some common mathematical symbols that you can use to create your equations.

If you’re looking to create more complex equations, however, then this method isn’t going to cut it. You’ll need to use an add-on as detailed later in the article.

To add an equation in Google Slides using special characters:

1. Open the Google Slides document where you want to add your equation.
2. Click where you want the special character to appear.
3. Click the Insert menu.
   
4. Select Special Characters.
   
5. In the first drop-down, select Symbol.
   
6. To add algebraic letters, such as ‘x’ select Math Alphanumeric in the last drop-down.
   
7. Find the letter you want to insert and click it.
   
8. Your symbol will be inserted into your document.
   
9. To add other math symbols, select Math in the last drop-down.
   
10. Find the symbol you want to insert and click it.
    
11. This symbol will be added to your document.
12. To add a superscript, select Superscript in the final drop-down.
    
13. When you have finished, close the special characters window and admire your new equation.
    
14. If you can’t find a symbol, you can also use the drawing tool to locate it. Open the special characters window by following steps 1-4 and draw your symbol in the large box to the right.
    
15. Suggestions for your symbol will appear on the left. To select one, click it, and it will be added to your slide.

How to Add Simple Fractions in Google Slides

If you want to add fractions to your equations in Google Slides, you can do so quickly and easily for some of the more common fractions. If you’re looking to create other fractions or even algebraic fractions, then you’ll need to use an add-on as described in the next section.

To add simple fractions to Google Slides:

1. Open the document where you want to insert your fractions.
2. Type the numerator (top number) of your fraction.
3. Type a forward slash (/) followed by the denominator (bottom number) of your fraction.
   
4. Press Space or Enter and your fraction will convert to a more recognizable fraction style.
   
5. This will only work for fractions with a denominator of 6 or lower, and it won’t work for fractions that have simpler equivalents. So, 1/6 will convert to a fraction, but 2/6 won’t since this would more commonly be written as 1/3.

How to Add an Equation in Google Slides Using an Add-On

If you want to include more complex mathematical equations and fractions, then you’ll need to use an equation editor. Google Slides doesn’t come with a native equation editor, so you’ll need to install an add-on.

There are a number of different options you can choose from, many of which offer similar features. In this example, we’ll be using Hypatia Create which is feature-rich and has better user review scores than many of its competitors.

How to Install Hypatia Create in Google Slides

Before you can use it to create equations, you’ll need to install the Hypatia Create add-on. Once installed, you can use it to form complex equations in any of your Google Slides documents.

To install Hypatia Create as an add-on in Google Slides:

1. Open a Google Slides document.
2. Click the Extensions menu.
   
3. Click Add-ons and select Get Add-ons.
   
4. In the search field, type Hypatia.
   
5. In the results, click Hypatia Create.
   
6. Click the Install button.
   
7. Click Continue.
8. You may need to sign in to your Google account.
9. If you’re happy to grant Hypatia Create the relevant permissions, click Allow.
   
10. Hypatia Create is now installed as an add-on.

How to Use Hypatia Create in Google Slides

Once Hypatia Create is installed, you can start using it to create complex equations. The add-on has a lot of useful features, but you can learn to use the basics without too much effort.

To create equations using Hypatia Create:

1. Open the Google Slides document where you want to insert your equation and click on the position in the slide that you want it to appear.
2. Click the Extensions menu.
   
3. Click Hypatia Create and select Insert/Edit Math.
   
4. Dismiss the pop-up notification to access the editor.
5. To insert common algebraic symbols, just start typing. Hypatia Create will automatically apply the appropriate formatting.
   
6. To insert a fraction, click the Fractions icon.
   
7. You can now enter your numerator in the top box. When completed, click in the bottom box to add your denominator.
8. To insert symbols that you can’t type, click one of the Symbols icons and select the appropriate symbol.
   
9. If you want to add roots, click on the Roots icon. You can add content under the root symbol, as well as a number above it for roots such as a cube root.
   
10. To add powers, click the Powers icon. This will create a text box in the appropriate position when you can add your index. Press the Right Arrow on your keyboard to exit this box and continue your equation.
    
11. Once you’ve finished creating your equation, click Insert.
    
12. The equation will be entered into your slide.
    
13. If you need to edit your equation, click on it and then click the Extensions menu.
14. Click Hypatia Create and select Insert/Edit Math.
15. The editor will now open so that you can make changes to your equation.

Expanding Your Google Slides Presentations

Learning how to add an equation in Google Slides allows you to create presentations that include accurate mathematical symbols. This is particularly useful if you have a lot of mathematical notation that you need to include in your document.

There are a lot of other useful tips that can help you get more out of Google Slides. You can learn how to hide a slide if you don’t want it as part of your current presentation. If you want to share your presentation with other people you can learn how to turn a Google Slides presentation into a video. And if you’re collaborating on a presentation it can be helpful to know how to comment in Google Slides.