Mathpix Snipping Tool is intended for copying math equations from the screen. In this regard, the tool uses optical character recognition to convert printed or handwritten math expressions into LaTex code. As a result, the copied items can be readily inserted into any LaTex academic paper.
The application is very unobtrusive: It resides in the Menu Bar from where you can access its interface. Fortunately, it supports selecting the desired region from the screen as well as using a hotkey combination.
The interface is divided into various types, each with a different purpose. There is an OCR tab in which you can view the original formula as well as copy it in different formats, such as MS Word, PNG and JPG. You can also find the Solver tab, which uses the Internet to find a solution to the captured expressions. The Data tab, in turn, lets you view and copy the formula in formats other than LaTex, including MathML, AsciiMath, SVG, HTML and TSV.
Fortunately, Mathpix Snipping Tool produces very accurate OCR results, considering that most regular optical character recognition engines would fail to perform not even an acceptable conversion of a math expression. There are occasions, however, when it gets confused, particularly when there is a box around a formula.
In general, this is a tool that is likely to increase your productivity if you frequently need to type mathematical expressions. The basic edition is free but has a limit of up to 50 snips. Luckily, there is also a free version for students without limitations. The unlimited Pro version, in turn, has a reasonable price.
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