iPad App Review: Algebra Explained, Plus A Chance to Win a Copy

Algebra Explained c. 1 Order of Operations

$3.99

Universal (iPhone/iPod Touch and iPad)

Version: 1.00.0000

Tested on: iPad 2 (iOS 4.3.1)

Rating: 5 of 5

Algebra Explained is a series of new apps developed for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch to help students learning algebra in a new, fun and interactive way. Each chapter consists of up to 20 learning modules where students are guided to learn from the basic principles up to the final test. This review will look into the first chapter, i.e. Order of Operations, to give you an overview of how the app looks like and how you may benefit from it.

Each learning module greets students with a menu consisting the video lesson, study cards, practice problems and history log of practice attempts made by the students. Imagine you're watching the video lesson with your children, the app not only allows your children to learn interactively, but you are also involved in your children's learning experience. And the great part about the video is it uses a lot of real world cases which can easily be understood by the students. I really think all of the videos are very well made and possibly have taken a lot of time to design, record and edit.

The app is created by a former math teacher with a Masters in Curriculum and Development, so you can be certain that the app suits very well with the students learning experience. I really enjoy the explanation of various concepts of Algebra throughout numerous videos, and I highly recommend this to anyone whose children are learning Algebra. With the ability to modify built-in study cards, to create new ones and to send them via e-mail to friends, the app pushes its own boundaries to perform as a platform for collaborative learning for the students. 

Once a student has finalized all the practices given throughout the learning modules in the chapter, the student can take the final chapter test to claim the diploma. I think this is a great way to learn and be rewarding at the same time. 

Another great thing about the app is the way it uses real world examples to motivate students to learn the algebra concepts with the idea that algebra is highly practical and it's actually helping the students to face the challenges in the real world. For example, we're dealing with interest rate all the time, whether it's related to house mortgage, car payments, or even as common as credit cards. The video lesson really helps the students to grasp the concept of algebra and accumulated interests with the examples. 

The app is packed with great examples of how learning algebra is not that complex and that the students can become very good at it by taking incremental steps as what the video lessons on heart rate will show. The big idea that the app is trying to get across (implicitly) is "If you haven't seen Algebra in your world, it is because you haven't been looking for it". 

I'm looking forward to future updates of this app, and I'm hoping to see improvements and new innovations in them. Here are some suggestions that I think might be useful:

1. Develop a better layout design for the practice problems, because I think the fonts are a bit too large that the options tend to overlap one another
2. Provide the students with more than just 10 practice problems for each learning modules. 
3. Allow the students to highlight certain parts of the video lessons and store them as their favorites or reminders

Now, for a very limited period of time, you have a chance to actually win one of the five promo codes for this great app. And, here are the steps you need to take to get a chance to win the promo codes:

1. Follow @appenthusiast on Twitter
2. Tweet this: "Help your children to learn Algebra w/ Algebra Explained. Get a chance to win a copy! http://bit.ly/fArV05 via @appenthusiast"
3. Post a comment to this post describing how you would use this app and benefit from it
4. The contest ends on Monday, Apr 25, 2011, 23:59 PST
5. We will choose randomly the five winners

Join now and get your chance to win this great product!

Check out the other app in this series: Negative Numbers, which is the follow up chapter after the Order of Operations. And, don't miss our other iPad app reviews too.