Typing a math answer

Angles are in degrees

sin, cos and tan take an angle in degrees, so type sin(30) for $\sin 30^\circ$, which is 0.5. asin, acos and atan give an angle in degrees: asin(0.5) is 30.

A problem whose angles are in radians says so under its answer box: "Angles are in radians." In that problem, sin(pi/6) is 0.5.

A degree sign after a number always means degrees, in either kind of problem: sin(30°) is 0.5 in both. In a degrees problem the sign is optional.

Equivalent forms count

The site works out whether what you typed means the same as the answer, so you don't have to match how it was written. If your form is algebraically the same, it counts: m*v^2/2, 0.5*m*v^2 and 0.5mv^2 are all the same answer.

The pieces

What you mean	What you type
$a \times b$	a*b, or ab, since the multiplication sign is optional
$\dfrac{a}{b}$	a/b
$a^2$	a^2, or a**2
$\sqrt{x}$	sqrt(x), or x^(1/2)
$v_0$	v0, or v_0
$\pi$	pi
$\theta$	theta, or θ
$\mu_k$	muk, or μk
$\sin 30^\circ$	sin(30), or sin(30°)
$\sin^{-1} x$	asin(x), an angle in degrees
$2 \times 10^{3}$	2e3, or 2*10^3

Whole answers

What you mean	What you type
$\tfrac{1}{2}mv^2$	0.5*m*v^2
$\sqrt{2gh}$	sqrt(2*g*h)
$v_0 + at$	v0 + a*t
$\dfrac{F_{\text{net}}}{m}$	F_net/m
$mg\sin\theta$	m*g*sin(theta)
$\dfrac{v^2 - v_0^2}{2a}$	(v^2 - v0^2)/(2*a)

Notes

• Use the letters the problem gives you: if it asks for an answer in terms of $m$ and $g$, those are the letters it expects.
• Multiplication signs are optional: 2gh is read as 2*g*h.
• Work in symbols and leave them in. You don't have to put numbers in anywhere.
• Besides sin, cos and tan (in degrees, as above), you can use sqrt, cbrt, abs, ln, log (base 10) and exp.
• You can paste LaTeX straight out of a solution: \frac{1}{2}mv^2 is read correctly.