MathML

MathML ("Mathematical Markup Language") is an XML based markup language that is used to describe mathematical symbols and formulas, so that they can be presented in a familiar way in Web documents. It is a recommendation of the W3C math working group.

The specification of version 1.01 of the format was released in July 1999 and version 2.0 appeared in February 2001. Version 2.0 deals not only with the presentation but also with the meaning of formula components. The format is rather verbose and it is inconvenient to produce MathML formulas by hand; several utilities for doing so are available, including converters between TeX and MathML.

As of May 2002, the only major web browser directly supporting the format is Mozilla; other browsers support the format if external plugins are installed.

External links:

• W3C Math Home (http://www.w3.org/Math/) - Contains the specifications, a FAQ, and a list of supporting software.