Entering Two-Dimensional Input

When the Wolfram Language reads the text x^y, it interprets it as x raised to the power y:

x^y

In a notebook, you can also give the two-dimensional input (x^y) directly. The Wolfram Language again interprets this as a power:

(x^y)

One way to enter a two-dimensional form such as (x^y) into a Wolfram System notebook is to paste this form into the notebook by clicking the appropriate button in the palette.

Here is a palette for entering some common two-dimensional notations.

There are also several ways to enter two-dimensional forms directly from the keyboard.

Ways to enter a superscript directly from the keyboard.

You type Ctrl+^ by holding down the Control key, then pressing the ^ key. As soon as you do this, your cursor will jump to a superscript position. You can then type anything you want and it will appear in that position.

When you have finished, press Ctrl+Space to move back down from the superscript position. You type Ctrl+Space by holding down the Control key, then pressing the Space bar.

This sequence of keystrokes enters (x^y):

x Ctrl+^ y

Here the whole expression y+z is in the superscript:

x Ctrl+^ y + z

Pressing Ctrl+Space takes you down from the superscript:

x Ctrl+^ y Ctrl+Space + z

You can remember the fact that Ctrl+^ gives you a superscript by thinking of Ctrl+^ as just a more immediate form of ^. When you type x^y, the Wolfram Language will leave this one-dimensional form unchanged until you explicitly process it. But if you type x Ctrl+^  y then the Wolfram Language will immediately give you a superscript.

On a standard English-language keyboard, the character ^ appears as the shifted version of 6. The Wolfram Language therefore accepts Ctrl+6 as an alternative to Ctrl+^. Note that if you are using something other than a standard English-language keyboard, the Wolfram Language will almost always accept Ctrl+6 but may not accept Ctrl+^.

Ways to enter a subscript directly from the keyboard.

Subscripts in the Wolfram Language work very much like superscripts. However, whereas the Wolfram Language automatically interprets (x^y) as x raised to the power y, it has no similar interpretation for (Subscript[x, y]). Instead, it just treats (Subscript[x, y]) as a purely symbolic object.

This enters y as a subscript:

x Ctrl+_ y

Here is the usual one-dimensional Wolfram Language input that gives the same output expression:

Subscript[x,y]

How to enter a built-up fraction directly from the keyboard.

This enters the built-up fraction (x/y):

x Ctrl+/ y

Here the whole y+z goes into the denominator:

x Ctrl+/ y + z

But pressing Ctrl+Space takes you out of the denominator, so the +z does not appear in the denominator:

x Ctrl+/ y Ctrl+Space + z

The Wolfram Language automatically interprets a built-up fraction as a division:

(8888/2222)

Ways to enter a square root directly from the keyboard.

This enters a square root:

Ctrl+@ x + y

Ctrl+Space takes you out of the square root:

Ctrl+@ x Ctrl+Space + y

Here is the usual one-dimensional Wolfram Language input that gives the same output expression:

Sqrt[x]+y

Special input forms based on control characters. The second forms given should work on any keyboard.

This puts both a subscript and a superscript on x:

x Ctrl+^ y Ctrl+% z

Here is another way to enter the same expression:

x Ctrl+_ z Ctrl+% y

The same procedure can be used to enter a definite integral:

Esc int Esc Ctrl+_ 0 Ctrl+% 1 Ctrl+Space f[x] Esc dd Esc x

In addition to subscripts and superscripts, the Wolfram Language also supports the notion of underscripts and overscripts—elements that go directly underneath or above. Among other things, you can use underscripts and overscripts to enter the limits of sums and products.

Creating underscripts and overscripts.

Here is a way to enter a summation:

Esc sum Esc Ctrl+$ x=0 Ctrl+% n Ctrl+Space f[x]