Placing Numbers Over Other Numbers

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated May 18, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

Jeff has a need to create "almost a fraction," and he doesn't know how. For example, he needs to create the fraction 41/104 (41 over 104), but without the line; just the number 41 over the number 104. Jeff wonders how he can move numbers (41) over other numbers (104) on the same line.

There are a couple of approaches you can take to this. One is to use the Equation Editor to create a "matrix" that will contain the numbers. (How you use the Equation Editor has been covered in other issues of WordTips.) You'll want to use the matrix tool from the Equation Editor's toolbar to insert a 2 x 1 matrix (two rows by one column). You can then put whatever numbers you want in each box of the matrix.

You could also forego using the Equation Editor and place the numbers in a text box. Within the text box type the number 41, press Enter, and then type 104. Adjust the line spacing and alignment of the text and make sure that the border of the text box is removed.

Perhaps the best solution is to use the EQ (equation) field that has been available since the earliest days of Word. You can follow these steps:

Press Ctrl+F9. This inserts a pair of field braces within your document.
Type "eq \a \ac (41,104)" (without the quote marks).
Press F9 to collapse the field and change to the field's results.

The EQ field can perform some amazing adjustments of your text. Case in point is the above steps, which creates an inline matrix. The number 41 appears above the number 104, and they are centered horizontally in relation to each other.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (7137) 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. Learn more about Allen...

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