Mathematical Information Retrieval: A Review

Abstract

Mathematical formulas are commonly used to demonstrate theories and basic fundamentals in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) domain. The burgeoning research in the STEM domain results in the mass production of scientific documents that contain both textual and mathematical terms. In scientific information, the definition of mathematical formulas is expressed through context and symbolic structure that adheres to strong domain-specific notions. Whereas the retrieval of textual information is well-researched, and numerous text-based search engines are present. However, textual information retrieval systems are inadequate for searching scientific information containing mathematical formulas, including simple symbols to complicated mathematical structures. The retrieval of mathematical information is infancy, and it requires the inclusion of new technologies and tools to promote the retrieval of scientific information and the management of digital libraries. This paper provides a comprehensive study of mathematical information retrieval, highlights their challenges and future opportunities.