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August 13, 2008 12:58 PM PDT

Cheat (or learn from) math problems with Mathway

by Josh Lowensohn

Mathway is a Web calculator that not only solves math problems for you, but also shows you how it got to the answer with step-by-step directions. It's the kind of service that would have utterly ruined me in middle school if I had wanted to cruise through the stacks of homework without doing any of the actual computations.

Mathway covers several types of math genres, including high school level stuff like trigonometry and calculus. It'll also take any "basic math," like what you'd do with a calculator, although it's kind of a waste since most problems only involve one line of explanation. I'm guessing most people would simply open up their computers' calculator instead.

In addition to its problem solver, Mathway has a built-in graphing tool and a glossary--just in case the solver throws some terminology around that you haven't heard before. You can also embed any answer to show it off to others--although I'm betting more people are likely to use the e-mail link instead.

[via SimpleSpark]

Mathway solves simple to complex math problems and shows you what happened to get to the answer. It's a potential homework helper for students.

(Credit: CNET Networks)
Josh Lowensohn writes for Webware.com, CNET's blog about Web applications and services. E-mail Josh, or follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/Josh.
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by sent2null August 13, 2008 9:13 PM PDT
awesome.

full explanations to complex integrals and trig problems, quite impressive the students are going to go nuts over this site once they find it.
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by NorthWakeDad August 14, 2008 4:29 AM PDT
PLEASE, PLEEEASE let this site last til I have to help with my kid's math homework...
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by MrRetardo August 14, 2008 7:11 AM PDT
Wow! Where was this stuff when I was in High School back in the 80s!!!! :)
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by weblaureate August 14, 2008 7:25 AM PDT
i help my friends with this math homework all of the time. now, FINALLY, i can send them away --- and get TONS of free time! (woot!) who new there could be such a poetic solution - http://webpoet.wordpress.com/2008/08/14/solved-now/
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by ingredients710 August 14, 2008 1:52 PM PDT
Ummm, a poet?
by johnny Coetzer August 16, 2008 1:30 AM PDT
when helping my grandson his teacher cannot see how we get the right answer by skipping steps
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by raoul44 August 16, 2008 11:53 AM PDT
The solution is: (-inf,-2) U (13/6,3) U (7/2,inf)
Raoul Ohio
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by vspace00 August 16, 2008 5:28 PM PDT
Be warned that the site is not always correct in its solutions. I teach math on the college level, and I tried several calculus problems that many students miss. Unfortunately, the site made the same mistakes. Here are the examples.

Enter integral[-1,1,1/x^2,x]. The site's answer is -2. However, the correct answer is that the integral diverges.

Enter integral[1/x,x]. The site's answer is ln(x)+C. However, the correct answer is ln|x|+C.
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by Burton McIntire August 16, 2008 6:20 PM PDT
I would like to try this program, as I'm an retired teeacher.

Thanks, burt
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by compu46 August 16, 2008 10:03 PM PDT
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by grandmavoo August 17, 2008 9:24 AM PDT
Looked at your complete solution of the above example. I know you are trying to explain in detail who to go about the problem. However having been a math teacher for a number of years, I have only one question. In the remaining 2 minutes I would have after going through this solution, how would I then review the rest of the assignment? Way too many steps. And the last part is so confusing for me. Can't imagine how my students would get through it.
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by grandmavoo August 17, 2008 9:36 AM PDT
What happened to Geometry? This has proven to be the students' most difficult math subject in high school. Where do they get help?
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by aliciakit99 May 4, 2009 3:06 PM PDT
if you decorated a picture frame that was 8-inches wide. You put a rhinestone at the beginning and at the end of the top edge. Also, put a rhinestone every 1/3 of and in along the edge. How many rhinestones would you have?
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by Britkaitlen August 25, 2009 2:39 PM PDT
show that 12.634 and 25.276868 are national members by giving the 2 integers whose ratio forms the given number.
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