Photomath Vs. Mathway: Online Math Tutor Reviews Apps that Do Your Math Homework

Clara Tong - Tutor Math Online
30 Jan 202306:44

TLDRIn this video, math tutor Clara Tong reviews Photomath and Mathway, two popular math-solving apps. She tests their free versions on various math problems to assess their educational value. Clara finds Photomath lacking in guidance, while Mathway provides correct answers but minimal explanations. She argues that these apps are better for quick solutions rather than learning, suggesting their best use is for checking homework. Clara also emphasizes the importance of problem-solving skills over reliance on apps for true comprehension.

Takeaways

  • 📚 Clara Tong, an online math tutor, reviews Photomath and Mathway apps to determine their effectiveness in teaching math.
  • 🔍 Photomath recognizes handwriting but doesn't provide a trigonometric value table without a subscription to Photomath Plus.
  • 🤔 Mathway also recognizes handwriting but lacks detailed guidance on how to approach problems without additional resources.
  • 📉 Neither app provides a comprehensive explanation of mathematical concepts, such as the inverse of a function, without external help.
  • 📘 Photomath has a community feature where users can see how others have solved problems, but it may not always have the solution available.
  • 📐 Mathway can calculate the surface area of irregular shapes but does not explain the process.
  • 📚 Photomath offers both expert and regular solutions, showing the steps and the log laws to use, although the factoring method may not be ideal for learning.
  • 🧠 Clara believes that these apps are not designed to develop a deep understanding of math but rather to provide quick solutions.
  • 🛑 The apps may hinder the development of problem-solving skills and independent thinking by providing answers without the thought process.
  • 📈 One use case for these apps is to check homework solutions when no answer key is available, with Photomath showing all steps being particularly useful.
  • 💡 Clara suggests that technology like Desmos, scientific calculators, and GeoGebra can be useful for visualizing math problems, not just for solving them.

Q & A

  • What is the main focus of the video?

    -The video focuses on reviewing and comparing two popular math-solving apps, Photomath and Mathway, particularly looking at how they help students with math homework and whether they contribute to learning.

  • Who is the presenter of the video?

    -The presenter is Clara Tong, an online math tutor who helps students aged 11 and up achieve their math goals.

  • What are the key questions the video explores?

    -The video explores whether the free versions of Photomath and Mathway help students learn math and if one app is more useful than the other.

  • How does Photomath handle a trigonometry problem?

    -Photomath recognizes handwriting and suggests using a trigonometric value table or unit circle to evaluate the problem, but it does not provide the table unless you have Photomath Plus.

  • How does Mathway perform with the same trigonometry problem?

    -Mathway also recognizes handwriting and provides the simplified answer but doesn’t explain how to arrive at the solution in detail.

  • What is a major drawback of both apps when it comes to more complex problems?

    -Both apps can solve simpler problems but struggle to provide comprehensive explanations or insights when it comes to understanding deeper concepts like the unit circle or inverse functions.

  • Why might some students find these apps useful despite their limitations?

    -These apps are useful when students need to quickly check their answers or confirm they are on the right track while doing homework, especially when they don’t have access to an answer key.

  • Which app is better for step-by-step explanations?

    -Photomath is generally better than Mathway in providing step-by-step explanations, especially in guiding students through the problem-solving process from start to finish.

  • What potential issue does the presenter see with relying too much on these apps?

    -The presenter believes that relying on these apps can hinder the development of independent problem-solving skills and real understanding, as the apps often remove the need for deeper thinking.

  • What is the presenter’s overall recommendation regarding these apps?

    -The presenter recommends using these apps primarily for checking answers rather than as a primary learning tool, especially if students are aiming to build solid math problem-solving skills.

Outlines

00:00

📱 Math Solving Apps: A Tutor's Perspective

In this paragraph, Clara Tong introduces the topic of math solving apps like Photomath and Mathway, highlighting their popularity among students and the mixed feelings they evoke in teachers. Clara, an online math tutor, shares her intention to review these apps, focusing on their effectiveness in helping students learn math. She also provides background on her tutoring experience and sets up the key questions she will explore: Do the free versions of these apps actually aid in learning, and is one app more useful than the other? Clara then begins her analysis by testing the apps with a common trigonometry problem, noting how Photomath recognizes handwriting and suggests using the trigonometric value table, albeit without providing it unless upgraded to the paid version. She contrasts this with Mathway's approach, which simplifies the expression but offers limited guidance.

05:02

🤔 Evaluating App Effectiveness and Educational Impact

Clara continues her analysis by examining how Photomath and Mathway handle another math problem, emphasizing the differences in their solutions and explanations. She points out that while these apps can provide correct answers, they often lack the depth of explanation necessary for true understanding. Clara argues that relying on these apps might hinder students' independent problem-solving skills and overall comprehension, as the apps tend to remove the critical thinking component. She acknowledges that these tools can be useful for checking homework when an answer key isn't available, but emphasizes that real confidence and understanding come from engaging with the material on a deeper level. She concludes by favoring Photomath over Mathway for its more detailed step-by-step solutions in the free version and invites viewers to share their experiences with the paid versions.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Photomath

Photomath is an educational mobile application that uses optical character recognition (OCR) technology to scan and solve mathematical problems. It is designed to assist students by providing step-by-step solutions and explanations, aiming to strengthen their comprehension and confidence in math. In the video, the tutor Clara Tong tests Photomath's capabilities and compares it with Mathway, highlighting its use of a trigonometric value table and unit circle for solving trigonometric questions.

💡Mathway

Mathway is another online math problem-solving tool that functions like a personal tutor in a user's hand. It simplifies expressions and provides solutions to various math problems. The script mentions Mathway's approach to explaining math terminology and its ability to give a general overview of problem-solving steps. However, it also points out that Mathway may lack detailed explanations, which could be a drawback for students seeking to understand the 'why' behind the steps.

💡Trigonometry

Trigonometry is a branch of mathematics that deals with the relationships between the sides and angles of triangles, particularly right-angled triangles. In the context of the video, Clara discusses how both Photomath and Mathway handle trigonometric questions, mentioning the use of a trigonometric value table and the unit circle, which are essential tools in evaluating trigonometric expressions.

💡Unit Circle

The unit circle is a circle with a radius of one, centered at the origin of a coordinate plane. It is a fundamental concept in trigonometry, used to determine the values of sine, cosine, and tangent for all angles. Clara emphasizes the importance of knowing one's way around the unit circle instead of memorizing trigonometric values, which is a point of discussion when evaluating the effectiveness of the apps.

💡Inverse Functions

An inverse function is a mathematical concept where for every output of the original function, there is a unique input for the inverse. In the video, Clara notes that Mathway provides the correct answer for a problem involving inverse sine but does not explain how to find the inverse of a function, which could be confusing for students without prior knowledge.

💡Surface Area

Surface area refers to the total area that the surface of a three-dimensional shape occupies. The script mentions Mathway's ability to calculate the surface area of irregular shapes, which is a feature that can be useful for students tackling geometry problems, although it does not show the steps involved in the calculation.

💡Logarithms

Logarithms are a mathematical concept used to express the power to which a number, called the base, must be raised to produce a given number. In the video, Clara discusses how Photomath provides solutions involving logarithms, including the use of logarithmic laws and factoring techniques, which are essential for solving exponential equations.

💡Factoring

Factoring is the process of breaking down a polynomial or an expression into a product of its factors. Clara points out that Photomath shows a factoring method that she does not recommend for students, suggesting that there are more efficient ways to learn factoring, which she covers in a separate video.

💡Educational Apps

Educational apps are software applications designed to facilitate learning and provide educational content. The video reviews two such apps, Photomath and Mathway, discussing their effectiveness in aiding students with math homework and their potential impact on the development of problem-solving skills.

💡Problem-Solving Skills

Problem-solving skills refer to the ability to analyze a problem and find a solution. Clara argues that while apps like Photomath and Mathway can help students get the correct answers quickly, they may not necessarily develop the deep understanding and confidence that come from independently solving problems.

💡Desmos

Desmos is a free online graphing calculator that helps students visualize mathematical functions and equations. Clara mentions using Desmos, along with other tools like Geogebra and Polypat, to enhance her students' understanding of math concepts through visualization.

Highlights

Photomath and Mathway are math solving apps that are loved by students but often disliked by teachers.

Photomath claims to strengthen comprehension and confidence in students' math abilities.

Mathway positions itself as a top math problem solver, akin to having a private tutor.

The reviewer, Clara Tong, is an online math tutor for students aged 11 and up.

The video explores whether these apps truly help with learning math and which is more useful.

Photomath recognizes handwriting but lacks detail in explaining the use of trigonometric values or unit circle.

Mathway also recognizes handwriting but provides little guidance on simplifying expressions.

Mathway offers explanations for math terminology but may lack clarity for students.

Photomath has previously solved similar problems, providing numerical answers but not educational insight.

Mathway can calculate the surface area of irregular shapes but does not demonstrate the process.

Photomath can identify the source of a problem and provide both expert and regular solutions.

The reviewer questions the effectiveness of these apps in fostering real understanding of math problems.

Apps like Photomath and Mathway may be better suited for quick problem solving rather than developing problem-solving skills.

The reviewer suggests that these apps could be useful for checking homework answers when no answer key is available.

Photomath is noted to show all steps of problem solving, which can be beneficial for learning.

The reviewer is skeptical about the value of paid versions of these apps for educational purposes.

The importance of a personal math tutor who does not just solve problems but helps in understanding is emphasized.

The reviewer endorses the use of technology like Desmos, scientific calculators, and geogebra for visualizing math problems.

The video concludes with a call for likes and subscriptions for more content on math learning.

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