Setting Prime Height Spacing in the Equation Editor

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 20, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


A prime is a mathematical symbol that looks similar to an apostrophe. When using the Equation Editor, you can control how far above the equation baseline a prime symbol is placed. You do this as follows:

  1. Choose Spacing from the Format menu. The Equation Editor displays the Spacing dialog box.
  2. Click on the Prime Height box (it is at the bottom of the list of spacing settings). The Equation Editor changes the Spacing dialog box. (See Figure 1.)
  3. Figure 1. The Spacing dialog box.

  4. Enter a value signifying what percentage of the font size above the baseline the prime should appear.
  5. Click on OK.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (948) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Multiple Print Areas on a Single Printed Page

Want to print small, non-contiguous areas of your worksheet all on a single page? You might think that defining a ...

Discover More

Having an Image Appear Multiple Times in a Worksheet

If you want an image to appear more than once in a worksheet, there are a few ways you can approach the issue. This tip ...

Discover More

Default Sort Order in the Open Dialog Box

When you want to open a file within Word, the normal way is by displaying the Open dialog box. If you want to modify the ...

Discover More

The First and Last Word on Word! Bestselling For Dummies author Dan Gookin puts his usual fun and friendly candor back to work to show you how to navigate Word 2013. Spend more time working and less time trying to figure it all out! Check out Word 2013 For Dummies today!

More WordTips (menu)

Entering a Measurement in the Equation Editor

The Equation Editor is a handy tool, particularly for those who must include mathematical equations in their documents. ...

Discover More

Starting the Equation Editor

The Equation Editor is a tool you can use to create complex mathematical formulas and insert them in your documents. ...

Discover More

Setting Fraction Bar Thickness in the Equation Editor

The Equation Editor is a great tool for easily creating fancy-looking equations in your document. You can even control ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 2 + 2?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.