8 Apps That Can Help Keep You Ahead in Math Class

Posted By: on December 7, 2012

Tantalizing, high-paid careers beckon many students to acquire math skills that go beyond the basic competencies.  Starting out early with helpful apps can boost scholastic scores. Here’s a quick rundown on eight useful math-learning apps.

1. iDevBooks is a powerhouse set of apps for Apple mobile devices. Educators have praised the apps, which help elementary students master those pernicious tasks, such as performing long division. Reviews have been positive among educators and parents alike.

2. Operation Math, available on iTunes, is a Parent’s Choice Award Winner. Children have access to over a hundred missions spread across three skill levels. The game, which is targeted to primary school children, instills the basic four arithmetic skills: Addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. What makes the app so popular is the fun factor. Up to three player profiles may be created on one mobile device.

3. Mathtappers. What sets this app apart is the expertise of the designers, who are math teachers. Gamers are encouraged to find groupings on the player board that give players opportunities for finding equivalent fractions and percentages.

4. KidgitZ is an iPhone app that can quickly improve a child’s addition skills. It’s a catch the falling numbers game, and the speed play captures a child’s desire to beat the challenge.

5. Calculator Pro is an iPad app that calculates. There is very little in the way of bells and whistles here. It’s just a great calculator. Since it is an iPad app, either portrait or landscape modes may be used to perform basic calculations or advanced scientific calculations.

6. iCrosss is a great app for mastering the essentials of geometry. Children can use a touch-screen interface to construct cross-sections of polyhedras.

7. Evernote is not a mathematical program. However, for more advanced students, it’s great for keeping track of notes in the cloud. No more lost homework. The other advantage to this immensely useful app is that it also allows a user to take photos, store them, and even use text recognition to decipher the notes.

8. My Math Flash Cards requires little parental supervision, and does exactly the same job in teaching children addition, subtraction, multiplication and division that the old-fashioned paper flash cards did for previous generations of children. Be advised, however, that children will quickly move past these simple drills.

A caveat is in order for all these helpful resources. Young children are prone to boredom, and elementary school math teachers often have heavy class loads in these times of strained budgets. etutorworld.net recommends parents take the time to engage their children. If they do, they often discover certain scholastic areas in which a child may be struggling to master the next step. That initiative could make a huge difference 10 years down the road, when it’s time for college.

Leave a Reply