déquationsstyle

Déquationsstyle is a design and typographic approach to presenting mathematical equations in digital media. It emphasizes readability, consistency, and accessibility in the display and inline presentation of equations across platforms, from textbooks to websites.

Origin and name: The term combines the French word équation with a prefix and the suffix style, reflecting its roots in French-speaking educational design communities. It emerged in the late 2010s as educators sought coherent standards for equation typography in responsive media.

Principles: It advocates semantic markup (MathML or LaTeX source), non-restrictive but consistent layout, proper line breaks and indentation, stable equation numbering, clear distinction between text and mathematics, and accessibility considerations including screen-reader friendly labeling and sufficient color contrast. It promotes consistent sizing rules, where display equations are given a typographic rhythm that matches surrounding prose, while inline equations remain compact but legible.

Guidelines: Use MathML or LaTeX with semantic annotations; prefer left-aligned display equations; number only when referenced; separate content from presentation via CSS; minimize color reliance and use contrast; ensure responsive scaling; avoid nonstandard symbols.

Usage and reception: Widely used in educational publishers, science journalism, and university courseware that prioritize accessibility. Critics argue it can add complexity to authoring workflows; supporters say it improves comprehension and searchability.

See also: Mathematical typesetting, LaTeX, MathML, accessibility in math, responsive typography.