Steph Bishop and Jessica Jermolowicz

Mobile App

MAT 326

(1) Requirements
Name: Math Ref (Free) 2.5
Author/Publisher: Happy Maau Studios LLC
Cost (including indication if there is no cost): free
and a website link for more information:

Apple:

Android: (This is only for version 2.0)

Happy Maau:

Describe the purpose of the app:

This app provides formulas and definitions for mathematical topics, gives an example for certain problems, and has labeled pictures and diagrams with labels.
Its intended audience:

Since topics range from algebra to algorithms, its audience is high school to early college students in mathematics classes.
What it does:
Go to a topic (typically a mathematics subject, ex: “algebra”), then pick a subtopic,

(ex: “addition and multiplications”) and then there lists even more specific definitions/formulas/properties, (ex: “associative property”).
For some examples you can even go one-step further and find an example.
(2) Critique the app.
Strengths:
1. It’s free! It is more realistic for students to have apps on their phone when it is free.
2. There is a WIDE range of topics/subtopics. Students in high school take a variety of classes and this has a high probability of providing the subject area.
3. All of the pictures and diagrams are clearly labeled.
4. You can print or email what you find to someone else.As well as after taking your own notes there is the option to “share” them via email, copying, or print. This provides an excellent tool for collaboration between classmates and provides a way to export to other technology.
5. There is a tools section where you can type in “solvers.” For example, you can find remainders, solve for triangle sides and even type in two line equations and find out what the slopes are, where the lines intersect (and at how many points their intersect) and what kind of angle the two lines make. This is an excellent way to check answers after solving them by yourself first.
6. You can type in your own notes per topic.Creating your own notes can be a great reference guide forstudying in the future.
7. Not just for Iphone and Ipad, you can download a similar version on Android systems.
8. There are examples that are step by step. This gives a visual to see where they may be going wrong in a process.

9. There is an option to look at the Greek alphabet. This provides a reference for when students may see a symbol they do not recognize.
Weaknesses:
1. There are not examples for everything. For example, there are no examples in the probability section. When there are examples, there is only one per subtopic. This may lead students to still be confused on some topics.
2. The examples do not provide much detail. Students like everything to be laid out for them and if there are steps missing or no reasoning behind some steps students will not have the best understanding.

3. There is no option for self-guided or guided practice problems. This makes this app more of a reference guide rather than a self-check.

4. Although the “tools” section can be helpful when solving problems this area completes the arithmetic with no explanation or breakdown of steps. This is being done like a calculator that provides no help in understanding the processes.

5. The different cell phone systems have different versions so not everyone is able to obtain the same quality of app.

6. There is a search option but the button to access this does not work.

7. There are some mistakes in the app for some formulas and examples, which will then lead to confusion and misguidance in the students’ work.

Overall we believe that this app is best suited for a student who is looking for an extra set of notes. This app provides an excellent reference guide to refer back to if they are missing notes from class as well as if something may be confusing from their notes. As teachers we wouldn’t find use for this app because everything stated is what we already know to teach. We could use the one example from some topics in a lesson but there are better and more efficient ways of obtaining more and in depth examples.