Photomath Vs. Mathway: Online Math Tutor Reviews Apps that Do Your Math Homework
TLDRIn this video, math tutor Clara Tong reviews Photomath and Mathway, two popular math problem-solving apps. She tests their free versions on various math problems to assess their effectiveness in aiding learning. Clara finds that Photomath provides a more detailed step-by-step solution, which is beneficial for understanding, while Mathway offers a quick answer without much explanation. She concludes that these apps are best used for checking homework rather than learning, and emphasizes the importance of problem-solving skills over relying on apps for math comprehension.
Takeaways
- 📚 Photomath and Mathway are popular math solving apps among students, but teachers often have reservations about their use.
- 🔍 Clara Tong, an online math tutor, reviews both apps to determine if they truly aid in learning math and which one is more useful.
- 📱 Both apps recognize handwriting input, but Photomath offers a premium version that includes a trigonometric value table for more detailed solutions.
- 🤔 Mathway provides correct answers but sometimes lacks detailed explanations, which might not be helpful for students who are learning new concepts.
- 📉 Photomath has a community feature where users can see how others have solved problems, which can be beneficial for learning.
- 📖 Mathway can calculate the surface area of irregular shapes but does not explain the process, which might not help with understanding.
- 📘 Photomath provides both expert and regular solutions, showing the steps and the logic behind the factoring methods used.
- 🧠 Clara emphasizes that while these apps can be useful for quick problem solving, they may not foster a deep understanding of math concepts.
- 🤷♀️ The effectiveness of these apps depends on the user's mindset; they are better for quick solutions rather than developing problem-solving skills.
- 📈 For checking homework without an answer key, Photomath is preferred as it shows all the steps, which can help build confidence in problem-solving.
- 💡 Clara suggests that technology like Desmos, a scientific calculator, or GeoGebra can be beneficial for visualizing math problems and enhancing learning.
Q & A
What is the main purpose of Photomath according to the video?
-Photomath claims that it aims to strengthen both comprehension and confidence in today's students in math.
How does Mathway position itself in comparison to Photomath?
-Mathway positions itself as the number one math problem solver, like a private tutor in the palm of your hand.
What is Clara Tong's profession and how does it relate to the video's content?
-Clara Tong is a math tutor who helps students achieve their goals in math, making her well-suited to review and provide insights on math solving apps like Photomath and Mathway.
How does Photomath handle trigonometry questions as per the video?
-Photomath recognizes handwriting and suggests using the trigonometric value table or the unit circle to evaluate trig questions, but it does not provide the table unless you get Photomath Plus.
What is the approach of Mathway when solving trigonometry problems as shown in the video?
-Mathway also recognizes handwriting and suggests simplifying the expression but does not provide detailed steps on how to use the unit circle.
What additional feature does Mathway offer that was demonstrated in the video?
-Mathway can calculate the surface area of irregular shapes if you input the information, but it does not show the calculation steps.
How does Photomath handle problems that have not been submitted before?
-Photomath provides an expert solution and a regular solution, showing the steps and the factoring method used, even for problems not previously submitted.
What is Clara Tong's opinion on the use of math solving apps for learning?
-Clara Tong believes that while math solving apps can help students do questions quickly, they may not develop real understanding or independent problem-solving skills.
In what situation does Clara Tong find math solving apps useful?
-Clara Tong finds math solving apps useful when students are doing homework without an answer key and want to ensure they are on the right track.
What is Clara Tong's stance on using technology to learn math?
-Clara Tong is not opposed to using technology to help students learn math, as she uses tools like Desmos, a scientific calculator, GeoGebra, or Polyplot to help her students visualize problems better.
What does Clara Tong suggest as an alternative to math solving apps for gaining confidence in math?
-Clara Tong suggests that students should be well-equipped with problem-solving skills to strengthen comprehension and confidence in math, rather than relying solely on math solving apps.
Outlines
📚 Review of Math Solving Apps: Photomath and Mathway
Clara Tong, an online math tutor, introduces herself and her experience with tutoring students aged 11 and up. She aims to help students achieve their math goals, whether it's excelling in school or preparing for university-level studies. In this video, she explores the effectiveness of two popular math-solving apps, Photomath and Mathway, in aiding students' learning. Clara tests both apps' free versions on various math problems to assess their utility in learning. She finds that Photomath provides some guidance but requires a subscription for detailed explanations, while Mathway offers correct answers with limited instructional content. Clara concludes that neither app is ideal for fostering deep understanding but may be useful for checking homework solutions.
🤔 The Role of Math Solving Apps in Learning
Clara discusses the potential drawbacks of relying on math-solving apps for learning. She argues that while these apps can quickly provide answers, they may undermine the development of independent problem-solving skills and true comprehension. Clara believes that students understand the limited educational value of these apps but use them for convenience. She suggests a specific use case where these apps can be beneficial: as a check for correctness when no answer key is available. Clara prefers that students develop strong problem-solving skills and that a personal tutor should not merely solve problems for them to copy. She endorses the use of technology like Desmos, a scientific calculator, GeoGebra, or Polyplot to visualize math problems better. Clara invites viewers to share their experiences with the paid version of Mathway and encourages feedback in the comments. She concludes the review by emphasizing the importance of understanding over memorization and invites viewers to like and subscribe for more educational content.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Photomath
💡Mathway
💡Handwriting recognition
💡Trigonometry
💡Unit circle
💡Inverse function
💡Factoring
💡Logarithm
💡Problem-solving skills
💡Educational technology
Highlights
Photomath and Mathway are popular math solving apps among students.
Photomath claims to strengthen comprehension and confidence in math students.
Mathway positions itself as a top math problem solver, akin to a private tutor.
Clara Tong, an online math tutor, reviews both apps' free versions.
Photomath recognizes handwriting but lacks detailed instructional content without a subscription.
Mathway provides correct answers but with minimal explanation on how to solve problems.
Mathway's solution to trigonometry problems lacks depth without additional resources.
Photomath has previously solved similar problems, providing numerical answers.
Mathway can calculate the surface area of irregular shapes but doesn't explain the process.
Photomath offers both expert and regular solutions, showing steps and factoring methods.
Clara questions the effectiveness of apps in developing real understanding of math problems.
Apps are more suited for quick problem-solving rather than fostering independent problem-solving skills.
Photomath is preferred for showing all steps of problem-solving in the absence of an answer key.
The paid version of Mathway might offer more detailed solutions, but this is not confirmed.
Clara advocates for technology that helps visualize math problems, such as Desmos, GeoGebra, or Polyplot.
The video concludes that personal math tutors should not merely solve problems but facilitate understanding.
Clara encourages the use of technology to aid in math learning but not as a replacement for comprehension.