diff --git a/common/lib/capa/templates/textinput_dynamath.html b/common/lib/capa/templates/textinput_dynamath.html
index c50658f713..e8b26c5fcc 100644
--- a/common/lib/capa/templates/textinput_dynamath.html
+++ b/common/lib/capa/templates/textinput_dynamath.html
@@ -2,49 +2,32 @@
 ### version of textline.html which does dynammic math
 ###
 <section class="text-input-dynamath">
-<table style="display:inline; vertical-align:middle;"><tr><td>
- <input type="text" name="input_${id}" id="input_${id}" value="${value}" 
-	 % if size:
-	 size="${size}"
-	 % endif 
-	 onkeyup="DoUpdateMath('${id}')"
-	 />
-   </td><td>
+  <table style="display:inline; vertical-align:middle;">
+    <tr>
+      <td>
+        <input type="text" name="input_${id}" id="input_${id}" value="${value}" class="math" size="${size if size else ''}" />
+      </td>
+      <td>
+        <span id="answer_${id}"></span>
 
-  <span id="answer_${id}"></span>
-
-  % if state == 'unsubmitted':
-  <span class="unanswered" style="display:inline-block;" id="status_${id}"></span>
-  % elif state == 'correct': 
-  <span class="correct" id="status_${id}"></span>
-  % elif state == 'incorrect':
-  <span class="incorrect" id="status_${id}"></span>
-  % elif state == 'incomplete':
-  <span class="incorrect" id="status_${id}"></span>
-  % endif
-
-   </td></tr><tr><td>
-      <span id="display_${id}">`{::}`</span>
-    </td><td>
-      <textarea style="display:none" id="input_${id}_dynamath" name="input_${id}_dynamath">  </textarea>
-    </td></tr>
-   </table>
-##   
-## javascript for dynamic math: add this math element to the MathJax rendering queue
-## also adds to global jaxset js array
-##   
-<script type="text/javascript">
-         MathJax.Hub.queue.Push(function () {
-	      math = MathJax.Hub.getAllJax("display_${id}")[0];
-	      if (math){
-		  jaxset["${id}"] = math;
-		  math.Text(document.getElementById("input_${id}").value);
-                  // UpdateMathML(math,"${id}");
-	      }
-	  });
-</script>
-  % if msg:
-    <br/>
-    <span class="debug">${msg|n}</span>
-  % endif
+        % if state == 'unsubmitted':
+        <span class="unanswered" style="display:inline-block;" id="status_${id}"></span>
+        % elif state == 'correct':
+        <span class="correct" id="status_${id}"></span>
+        % elif state == 'incorrect':
+        <span class="incorrect" id="status_${id}"></span>
+        % elif state == 'incomplete':
+        <span class="incorrect" id="status_${id}"></span>
+        % endif
+      </td>
+    </tr>
+    <tr>
+      <td>
+        <span id="display_${id}">`{::}`</span>
+      </td>
+      <td>
+        <textarea style="display:none" id="input_${id}_dynamath" name="input_${id}_dynamath">  </textarea>
+      </td>
+    </tr>
+  </table>
 </section>
diff --git a/lms/static/coffee/fixtures/problem_content.html b/lms/static/coffee/fixtures/problem_content.html
index d2e89fed2b..ffcb5e4682 100644
--- a/lms/static/coffee/fixtures/problem_content.html
+++ b/lms/static/coffee/fixtures/problem_content.html
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@
   <section class="action">
     <input type="hidden" name="problem_id" value="1">
 
+    <input type="text" name="input_example_1" id="input_example_1" value="" class="math" />
+    <span id="display_example_1"></span>
+    <span id="input_example_1_dynamath"></span>
+
     <input class="check" type="button" value="Check">
     <input class="reset" type="button" value="Reset">
     <input class="save" type="button" value="Save">
diff --git a/lms/static/coffee/spec/modules/problem_spec.coffee b/lms/static/coffee/spec/modules/problem_spec.coffee
index 6bca63cfe1..78047db3ba 100644
--- a/lms/static/coffee/spec/modules/problem_spec.coffee
+++ b/lms/static/coffee/spec/modules/problem_spec.coffee
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 describe 'Problem', ->
   beforeEach ->
     # Stub MathJax
-    window.MathJax = { Hub: { Queue: -> } }
+    window.MathJax =
+      Hub: jasmine.createSpyObj('MathJax.Hub', ['getAllJax', 'Queue'])
+      Callback: jasmine.createSpyObj('MathJax.Callback', ['After'])
+    @stubbedJax = root: jasmine.createSpyObj('jax.root', ['toMathML'])
+    MathJax.Hub.getAllJax.andReturn [@stubbedJax]
     window.update_schematics = ->
 
     loadFixtures 'problem.html'
@@ -25,8 +29,8 @@ describe 'Problem', ->
 
   describe 'bind', ->
     beforeEach ->
-      spyOn MathJax.Hub, 'Queue'
       spyOn window, 'update_schematics'
+      MathJax.Hub.getAllJax.andReturn [@stubbedJax]
       @problem = new Problem 1, '/problem/url/'
 
     it 'set mathjax typeset', ->
@@ -50,6 +54,12 @@ describe 'Problem', ->
     it 'bind the save button', ->
       expect($('section.action input.save')).toHandleWith 'click', @problem.save
 
+    it 'bind the math input', ->
+      expect($('input.math')).toHandleWith 'keyup', @problem.refreshMath
+
+    it 'display the math input', ->
+      expect(@stubbedJax.root.toMathML).toHaveBeenCalled()
+
   describe 'render', ->
     beforeEach ->
       @problem = new Problem 1, '/problem/url/'
@@ -223,6 +233,30 @@ describe 'Problem', ->
       @problem.save()
       expect(window.alert).toHaveBeenCalledWith 'Saved'
 
+  describe 'refreshMath', ->
+    beforeEach ->
+      @problem = new Problem 1, '/problem/url/'
+      @stubbedJax.root.toMathML.andReturn '<MathML>'
+      $('#input_example_1').val 'E=mc^2'
+
+    describe 'when there is no exception', ->
+      beforeEach ->
+        @problem.refreshMath target: $('#input_example_1').get(0)
+
+      it 'should convert and display the MathML object', ->
+        expect(MathJax.Hub.Queue).toHaveBeenCalledWith ['Text', @stubbedJax, 'E=mc^2']
+
+      it 'should display debug output in hidden div', ->
+        expect($('#input_example_1_dynamath')).toHaveValue '<MathML>'
+
+    describe 'when there is an exception', ->
+      beforeEach ->
+        @stubbedJax.root.toMathML.andThrow {restart: true}
+        @problem.refreshMath target: $('#input_example_1').get(0)
+
+      it 'should queue up the exception', ->
+        expect(MathJax.Callback.After).toHaveBeenCalledWith [@problem.refreshMath, @stubbedJax], true
+
   describe 'refreshAnswers', ->
     beforeEach ->
       @problem = new Problem 1, '/problem/url/'
diff --git a/lms/static/coffee/src/modules/problem.coffee b/lms/static/coffee/src/modules/problem.coffee
index e1fac3a1a5..c1a801d2b2 100644
--- a/lms/static/coffee/src/modules/problem.coffee
+++ b/lms/static/coffee/src/modules/problem.coffee
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ class @Problem
     @$('section.action input.reset').click @reset
     @$('section.action input.show').click @show
     @$('section.action input.save').click @save
+    @$('input.math').keyup(@refreshMath).each(@refreshMath)
 
   render: (content) ->
     if content
@@ -62,6 +63,20 @@ class @Problem
       if response.success
         alert 'Saved'
 
+  refreshMath: (event, element) =>
+    element = event.target unless element
+    target = "display_#{element.id.replace(/^input_/, '')}"
+
+    if jax = MathJax.Hub.getAllJax(target)[0]
+      MathJax.Hub.Queue ['Text', jax, $(element).val()]
+
+      try
+        output = jax.root.toMathML ''
+        $("##{element.id}_dynamath").val(output)
+      catch exception
+        throw exception unless exception.restart
+        MathJax.Callback.After [@refreshMath, jax], exception.restart
+
   refreshAnswers: =>
     @$('input.schematic').each (index, element) ->
       element.schematic.update_value()
diff --git a/lms/templates/mathjax_include.html b/lms/templates/mathjax_include.html
index 681893cadd..c789e4d299 100644
--- a/lms/templates/mathjax_include.html
+++ b/lms/templates/mathjax_include.html
@@ -5,82 +5,22 @@
 ##
 ## This enables ASCIIMathJAX, and is used by js_textbox
 
- <script type="text/x-mathjax-config">
-
-//  (function () {
-    var QUEUE = MathJax.Hub.queue;  // shorthand for the queue
-    var math = null;
-    var jaxset = {};                // associative array of the element jaxs for the math output.
-    var mmlset = {};		// associative array of mathml from each jax
-
-      // constructs mathML of the specified jax element
-        function toMathML(jax,callback) {
-          var mml;
-          try {
-            mml = jax.root.toMathML("");
-          } catch(err) {
-            if (!err.restart) {throw err} // an actual error
-            return MathJax.Callback.After([toMathML,jax,callback],err.restart);
-          }
-          MathJax.Callback(callback)(mml);
-        }
-
-      // function to queue in MathJax to get put the MathML expression in in the right document element
-      function UpdateMathML(jax,id) {
-              	toMathML(jax,function (mml) {
-                    // document.getElementById(id+'_dynamath').value=math.originalText+ "\n\n=>\n\n"+ mml;
-                    delem = document.getElementById("input_" + id + "_dynamath");
-		    if (delem) { delem.value=mml; };
-		    mmlset[id] = mml;
-              	})
-      }
-
-MathJax.Hub.Config({
-  tex2jax: {
-    inlineMath: [
-	["\\(","\\)"],
-      ['[mathjaxinline]','[/mathjaxinline]']
-    ],
-   displayMath: [
-	["\\[","\\]"],
-     ['[mathjax]','[/mathjax]']
-    ]
-  }
-});
-
-    //
-    //  The onchange event handler that typesets the
-    //  math entered by the user
-    //
-    window.UpdateMath = function (Am,id) {
-      QUEUE.Push(["Text",jaxset[id],Am]);
-      QUEUE.Push(UpdateMathML(jaxset[id],id));
+<script type="text/x-mathjax-config">
+  MathJax.Hub.Config({
+    tex2jax: {
+      inlineMath: [
+        ["\\(","\\)"],
+        ['[mathjaxinline]','[/mathjaxinline]']
+      ],
+      displayMath: [
+        ["\\[","\\]"],
+        ['[mathjax]','[/mathjax]']
+      ]
     }
+  });
+</script>
 
-//  })();
-
-function DoUpdateMath(inputId) {
-  var str = document.getElementById("input_"+inputId).value;
-
-  // make sure the input field is in the jaxset
-  if ($.inArray(inputId,jaxset) == -1){
-      //alert('missing '+inputId);
-    if (document.getElementById("display_" + inputId)){
-	  MathJax.Hub.queue.Push(function () {
-	      math = MathJax.Hub.getAllJax("display_" + inputId)[0];
-	      if (math){
-		  jaxset[inputId] = math;
-	      }
-	 });
-      };
- }
-
-  UpdateMath(str,inputId)
-}
-
-  </script>
-
-  <!-- This must appear after all mathjax-config blocks, so it is after the imports from the other templates.
-       It can't be run through static.url because MathJax uses crazy url introspection to do lazy loading of
-       MathJax extension libraries -->
-  <script type="text/javascript" src="/static/js/mathjax-MathJax-c9db6ac/MathJax.js?config=TeX-MML-AM_HTMLorMML-full"></script>
+<!-- This must appear after all mathjax-config blocks, so it is after the imports from the other templates.
+     It can't be run through static.url because MathJax uses crazy url introspection to do lazy loading of
+     MathJax extension libraries -->
+<script type="text/javascript" src="/static/js/mathjax-MathJax-c9db6ac/MathJax.js?config=TeX-MML-AM_HTMLorMML-full"></script>