Should 'Equation' as a word start with a capital letter if it is not starting a sentence?

Question

I am writing a mathematical seminar, in it, I reference equation numbers a lot. Should I write something like “see Equation 1” or “see equation 1”? It is now normal for me to write like “...see Table 1”, “...check Figure 6” etc. instead of “...see Table 1”, “...check Figure 6”.

Answer 1

Barring any specific guidelines from your field that would state otherwise, yes, you should capitalize the word "equation" when it is acting as a proper noun in your work.

If you give a name to an equation, table, or figure, (such as "Equation 1," Figure 1," etc.) then it should be referenced with a capital letter because it is acting as a proper noun. If you are simply writing about equations without referencing a particular one, then the letter should not be capitalized.

Examples:

• Not capitalized: By looking at the equation above, we can see...
• Capitalized: By looking at Equation 1 above, we can see... (assuming you have denoted a particular equation as Equation 1).