Wouldn't it be a great aid if ACTED could develop some sort of tool we could use to insert actuarial symbols, with all the bars and dots and sub and superscripts and what not? I'm sensing a poll
Lol no, the time and cost of implementing such a tool would severely outweigh any benefits. It’s hard to reproduce the exact same format of the SI symbols but it's usually obvious from the context what is meant. Eg if I were to write A_(xy)1:n| you have a pretty good idea of what I mean. You can always go into word and use the equation builder then upload an image if it's an issue.
Actually, web tools like jsMath are not difficult to implement or use. I installed the Wikipedia math module on a Wiki once and the most difficult part was getting my web host to install LaTeX for me. The biggest single problem with type-setting annuity symbols is the term-certain half-box thing, which appears literally nowehere else in maths or science literature.
@Devon: Hmmm, I don't know. I've just finished chapter 9 of CT5 and there is notation thus far that could make for some PRETTY interesting interpretation And I'm still undecided about yours actually It's all those superscript 1's that can go on top of a whole manner of things, from curly brackets to straight lines and are usually intended for a specific position over one subscript or another. I think it would aid us for obvious reasons. Whether it's worth it for ACTED is another debate entirely. But perhaps it is? Perhaps this site will become more popular in consequence of it? Who knows what that will spell? More actuaries? Lol And @Calum: thanks! I'm going to look into this Happy studying everyone!
well i had the brackets there to mean that the 1 goes above the whole of the xy.. so it would be the "squiggly bracket" case. For the other cases we could have x1y or something.
Nope, it would make more sense to me to develop the notation to fit current computing, although not that useful as how often is it used outside exams?
There is a symbol editor that can do the term symbols for annuities and assurances which can be accessed through Word - the upgraded version of Equation Editor 3.0. In Word 2003 Equation Editor is built in free of charge, and is the default equation editor. In Word 2007, a new equation editor was put in. Users of this can comment on its capabilities. It may still be possible to access Equation Editor in recent versions of Word by using the Insert Object command. Equation Editor itself can do almost anything you need in terms of formulas except these half box symbols. It has however an upgrade version called MathType which does do them. MathType can do all four orientations of the half box and the full box and they resize to accommodate the contents. MathType is published by Design Science, and it has a free trial version which defaults to Equation Editor after the trial period if you do not purchase the product. Whether this would be of any use for posting to this forum I do not know, but it could be used for submitting assignments.
