Editing Cursors

The editing cursor takes on the three different forms shown below.

Crosshair Cursor

crosshair cursor

Click in any blank spot in your worksheet to get the crosshair cursor. The red crosshair, which defines your entry point, exists only outside a math or text region. To move the crosshair, click in another blank spot or use [Enter], [Spacebar], or the arrow keys.

Using the Crosshair

The next math or text region you type begins at the location of the crosshair.

Note that as soon as you begin typing, the cursor turns into either the math editing lines cursor or a text cursor.

Text Cursor

text cursor

The text cursor is used in text regions to insert and delete characters the same way you would in any word processor.

Math Editing Lines

editing lines

Blue editing lines are used to edit math. Click anywhere in a math region to see them.

Using the Editing Lines

Use the editing lines to select parts of your math expression. Putting part of an expression between the editing lines is just like enclosing it in a pair of invisible parentheses. There are two parts to the editing lines:

To place an expression between the editing lines:

  1. Click in the expression with the mouse.
  2. Use the arrow keys to move the editing lines.
  3. Press [Spacebar] to lengthen the editing lines until they hold the expression between them. Or click in different parts of the expression to change what's between the editing lines.

As a general rule, whatever is underlined and to the left of the insertion line becomes the first operand you type.

Reverse video

This equation is highlighted in reverse video.

equation highlighted in reverse video

To highlight in reverse video, hold the mouse button down and drag the cursor over the whole expression.