In introductory courses, much math can be edited without using the equation editor.
Symbol gives the symbol sets in symbol and math fonts.
The symbol window also allows keystrokes to be mapped, so that - gives the longer minus symbol, etc. There is an Equation Field for typing equations in text that provides fractions, etc. A template can be written to make a button to access Field Eq directly. Then press stop record on the record window. If you then backspace to highlight the fraction, and right mouse click, you can toggle to the EQ format right in your document.