Typing math into LyX

**Timbuk2**

I am extremely new to this LaTex thing. But in LyX, I don't know how to type maths the normal way, like you would do in the Latex tags on boards.ie

For example, I would like to be just able to type \frac{7x}{\sqrt{2}} and have [latex]\frac{7x}{\sqrt{2}}[/latex] but when I select Math mode from the toolbar, and type \frac it changes into boxes, and I have to enter the fraction in a graphical method.

Is there any way I could just type out maths functions as if I was typing source code and have it display on screen as actual maths, rather than trying to do everything through LyX's GUI interface.

Thanks for reading. I hope I made sense

leninbenjamin

Lyx is just a latex GUI right?

mathmode in latex is simply denoted by

\begin{equation}
blah blah
\end{equation}

or when using it in paragraphs $ blah blah $

so i presume if you don't press the button you can just enter the source like that.

another tip: or multiple lines avoid using eqnarray and use split instead. (been a while since i've used mathmode but i think it goes:

\begin{equation}
\begin{split}
blah & = & blah \\ %newline
bloo & = & bloo \\
& = & bloo
\end{split}
\end{equation}

the & is used for alignment here.