Writing accessible maths in Moodle

Published on: 03/10/2023 · Last updated on: 04/06/2026

What to do

• Use the equation editor or LaTeX syntax to make maths accessible to screenreaders.
• Never use images of equations.

How to add equations in Moodle

To insert an equation using the Moodle equation editor:

1. Open the text editor’s Expanded view (second row of buttons).
2. Select the Equation Editor (calculator icon).
3. Either:
   • choose symbols from the palette, or
   • type LaTeX directly into the editor.

Writing LaTeX maths into Moodle

This method is recommended if you are already comfortable with LaTeX or need fine control over equation layout.

You can write LaTeX syntax directly in the text editor between \( … \) or \[ … \] for display maths.

For multi-line equations in Moodle, you can use the eqnarray or align environments using the “&” to control alignment as usual. For example:

Note, if you want the text editor view to display over multiple lines (as in the example above) when using the eqnarray or align environments, you must use Shift Enter (this corresponds to an html <br> tag) so Moodle interprets it as a single LaTeX block (rather multiple paragraphs).

Help with ‘Maths processing error’ in MathJax content

MathJax content can sometimes not display as expected, this may be due to the incorrect MathJax library being loaded. The following guide ‘How to fix Moodle content loading older MathJax libraries‘ may help.