Markdown and Mathematics

[Jelks Cabaniss]

John Gruber wrote:
> The math stuff doesn't belong in Markdown itself. Maybe, possibly,
> perhaps, Markdown could support superscripts using something like
> `x^2`, but not something as complex as full-blown math markup.

Some kind of superscript^^notation^ (and ~cite~(s)!) are the only things I
use *frequently* that aren't currently available in Markdown except via
inline HTML.  The drawback of course is that some will invariably want
subscripts in native MD syntax too.  :)

> That would mean that custom expansions could be built on top of
> Markdown, with the custom bits going inside those delimiters. You
> might write "Markdown Plus Math". Someone else might write "Markdown
> Plus Foo." The point is, you wouldn't have to rewrite the core
> Markdown parts; just the Foo, which users would include between the
> `{$` and `$}` delimiters.

Great idea!
 
> So, I think the question is, what should those delimiters be?

Whatever they end up being, you'll probably want to include the "notation"
along with the delimiters, something like 

	{$mathml: ... Math expression ... $}
	{$latex:  ... line noise ... $}


/Jelks