Searcharxiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · 2605.25276

Typed Mathematical Text for On-screen Examinations

Laura Kobel-Keller·Chris Sangwin
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

This paper discusses digital online mathematics examinations -- a discussion ranging from high school to university level examinations. In particular, we consider the nature of mathematical writing, what is distinctive about mathematical writing, and how mathematics can be typed into a machine. This includes a review of features of notation and layout unique to mathematics and a survey of current technology for typed mathematics, including LaTeX and contemporary proof-checkers such as Lean. Artificial intelligence has already been highly successful for optical character recognition, generating text from hand writing and is even increasingly applied to assess students' work itself. A human-editable text-based format in the middle is important, but neglected. The design of digital online mathematics examinations, which take this text as the source of truth for students' work, will have a profound effect on how mathematics is perceived and how mathematical activity is mediated. Moving examinations on-screen effectively is an important design challenge and responsibility to future generations. The challenge is to design software tools which support mathematics, that is tools which recede into the background and support the generation of mathematical work. We argue for a human-editable text-based format, which includes semantic elements, at the heart of the process.

Explore related subjects

math.HO

Keep this discovery

BibTeXRIS

Laura Kobel-Keller, Chris Sangwin. 2026-05-24. Typed Mathematical Text for On-screen Examinations. https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.25276

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

Perspectives on the unit distance problem

This is a survey on an old open problem in combinatorics called the unit distance problem, and the field of mathematics around it, called incidence geometry. What do we know about the problem? Why is it difficult? How does it connect with other parts of math?

math.HO↗
arXiv2026

A Categorical Approach to Euclidean Ratios and Proportions

A categorial approach to the non-metric geometry in Books V and VI of Euclid's \textit{Elements} is presented. Specifically, we introduce a diagrammatic syntax that can be overlaid immediately on his diagrams, thus bridging intuitive presentation with fidelity to Euclid's arguments. This syntax makes complicated definitions like V.5, and indeed the arguments throughout books V and VI, including arguments about similar figures, intuitively clear. We show in an appendix that this syntax can be used to solve a puzzle regarding ancient mathematics. Finally, we offer evidence that this approach to Euclidean diagrams is rooted in the Aristotelian tradition itself, and that a similar syntax was utilized, in antiquity, for related questions of numeric and proportions. Thus the syntax is plausibly faithful to Euclid's own thought-world, and not an outside-imposition.

math.HO↗
arXiv2026

Some Early Results by Tutte Regarding the Cycle Double Cover Conjecture in 1948

OpenAI recently announced a proof of the Cycle Double Cover (CDC) Conjecture. Most media reports have characterized it as a 50-year-old open problem. In reality, according to a 1987 letter from Tutte to Fleischner, the Cycle Double Cover Problem has been open for at least 80 years. Two early results regarding the CDC conjecture were established in one of Tutte's 1949 publications.

math.HO↗