Comment by Jtsummers

\* or ** to (reliably) put * into your text.

  (4**8) + (4**3) + (2**2) + (2**1) = ...

(4*8) + (4*3) + (2*2) + (2*1) = ...

If you have an * surrounded by whitespace it's left alone but then you have to remember to always surround * by whitespace.