In Singapore, as in anywhere in the world, Math is a subject typically regarded as difficult. "I don’t understand it"—something that we hear almost any student say about Math. But while this is a misconception according to research, for children, Math can be daunting. From learning a concept, applying it through solving, learning from examples, making mistakes, learning by self-checking, doing practice drills—Math takes time, patience, and persistence to understand. Without the right support, any child can feel lost, especially when doing homework.
Picture this typical after-school scenario: Your child is trying to do his math homework on his own, but suddenly, he gets stuck on a specific problem. He starts going around the house asking for help, but you and your husband are out working late and won’t be back until dinner, when you are both too tired to teach and probably have no idea about a math topic that you learned countless years ago. And so he turns to his siblings, but they too have schedules or even homework that they themselves have to deal with. And so you think of getting a tutor at the last minute, but booking for a session can take time, not to mention that it needs to be done earlier than needed. And so you are left stumped for homework help options, and your child is left stumped with a difficult math problem. Now what?
To help you and your child avoid such situations in the future, we came up with a list of online on-demand homework help platforms that can assist your child in a jiffy.
1. Webmath
Website: http://www.webmath.com/index.html
About: Webmath is a math help website that assists students by generating specific answers to specific math questions and problems. Answers are generated and displayed almost real-time, as soon as a student types in his math problem and clicks “Solve.” Not only does Webmath assist students by providing correct answers; it also shows how to arrive at the answer by displaying the workings as well.
How it works: On Webmath’s homepage, go to the “Quick Jump to Math Help” drop-down tab and choose the math area or topic that the math problem is under. For example, if a student’s math problem is about “Quadratic Equations,” then he should click on “Quadratic Equations, Quadratic Formula” from the choice of math topics arranged alphabetically on the tab.
From there, a fill-in form will appear, and this is where students can type the math problem they’re working on. Linked to these forms are “math-solvers” that can instantly analyze a specific problem, and when possible, provide students with a step-by-step solution.
Pros
• Features homework help on a wide array of topics
• Free of charge
Cons
• Although the website is updated as their copyright says 2019, the site is not as modern with its design and graphics. Also, because the site is slowly improving upon its math-solving capabilities, complete math solutions or workings cannot be guaranteed at all times.
2. Mathway
Website: https://www.mathway.com/
About: Mathway aims to provide students with the tools that they need to help them understand and solve math problems. Its long-term goal is to make quality on-demand math assistance accessible to all students.
How it works: Mathway's homepage is designed as a giant calculator, with half of the screen occupied by the "calculator screen"—where users can see the numbers and characters they are typing in, and the other half occupied by the "calculator keypad"—which users can actually use to type in their math problem by clicking on the keys, or by manually typing it in using their keyboard.
To get answers for their math problems, students must first click on a subject on the drop-down menu. Once the right math topic has been chosen, the students can type in the problem or upload a picture of the problem, then click "Submit." Once submitted, an answer will appear on the "calculator screen." An option to see the step-by-step working will appear; however, this feature requires an upgrade and is not allowable for unregistered users.
Pros
• Offers math homework help on a range of topics for free
Cons
• Requires email registration in order to view the workings or explanation to a problem
3. Photomath
Website: https://www.photomath.net/en/
About: Scan. Solve. Learn.—this is Photomath's motto. Photomath calls itself "the world's most used math education app." Boasting of over 100-million learners that use it globally, Photomath is powered by advanced AI technology that makes the app instantly scan, accurately solve, and intuitively explain math problems to users through step-by-step explanations, helping promote comprehension of fundamental mathematics concepts.
How it works: By using the camera of your mobile device, Photomath scans handwritten or printed mathematical problems and solves instantly, accompanied by step-by-step explanations. It can also provide animated calculation steps to aid in better understanding of the solution.
Pros
• Downloadable on your mobile device (smartphone or tablet) via Google Play for Android or App Store for iOs.
• Free for use and download in over 200 countries and available in more than 30 languages
Cons
• Users under 13 years of age are not allowed to use the app
4. Homeworkdoer.org
Website: https://homeworkdoer.org/math/
About: Homeworkdoer.org is composed of professionals in various fields who help provide academic help to students around the globe by crafting research papers and providing homework solutions on-demand.
Homeworkdoer.org has a team of math homework solvers that provide help on any math problem regardless of how difficult it may be. Their math help services are designed to assist students comprehend complex math concepts in different fields of math such as Statistics, Calculus, Algebra, and Trigonometry. By signing up for an account, their on-demand math homework service can be availed.
How it works: As simple as paying someone to do your math homework, there are three ways to use Homeworkdoer.org's math homework services:
• If a math problem has to be solved real-time, submit details via the quote request form by clicking the "Get free quote button" and their support representative will guide students on how to get help via their internal chat messaging system.
• If the math problems are in hard copy, students can take images of the problems and send them as attachment via the quote request order form.
• If the math problem is in softcopy (PDF, .DOC or .DOCX, or any other online format), students can send the file by filling out the order request form.
Once a copy of the homework has been submitted, their support team will evaluate the order and quote their price. Once payment has been made, their math homework solver will start working on the problem/s and and deliver the solution via their customer portal.
Pros
• Can help with bulk homework problems
Cons
• Because math problems are considered "orders," answers and explanations to math problems can take time because of the process of filling out an order form, evaluation of the homework, and price quotation
• Payment and account registration is required in order to access their math homework help service
5. 24HourAnswers
• Website: https://www.24houranswers.com/subjects/Mathematics
About: Founded in 2005 by a chemistry professor, 24HourAnswers aims to provide academic help at all levels in most subject areas through online tutoring, homework help, and its own homework library. Its core academic support services are one-on-one online tutoring sessions and homework help complete with step-by-step written solutions.
As the name implies, students can send their math problems to 24HourAnswers anytime—24 hours a day, 7 days a week—and expect answers as soon as the homework has been completed. Students can also request for written solutions when they need it.
How it works: On 24HourAnswer's homepage, go to Homework Help menu. A "Submit Your Homework" option will appear, and this is where students can type in their math problem. There is also an "Attach" option for uploading homework that is in a soft copy format. Once the problem is typed in, submit and expect to see a prompt that asks when the assignment is due and what math topic it falls under. From there, students will be asked to wait until a tutor has received the homework and is ready to help with the posted homework.
24HourAnswer's privacy policy requires students to first create an account with a username and password before availing of their academic services. Although account registration is free, their homework help is not free of charge as homework requests need to be computed first, with pricing based on difficulty and the time it will take a tutor to solve it. Price quotations are open for negotiations depending on the tutor.
Pros
• Covers a lot of math topics
Cons
• Payment and account registration is required in order to access their math homework help service
6. Assigncode Assignment Help
Website: https://assigncode.com/math-homework-help.html
About: Founded in 2016, Assigncode believes that the more control students have over their homework, the better the results will be. Assigncode is a marketplace of experts and specialists ready to provide academic assistance to students worldwide.
How it works: Assigncode works by having students email their assignment and its specific math area, after which they will have to fill out an order form, submit it, and then choose from experts who can do the work according to the student's requirement and budget. Once a tutor has been chosen and a price has been settled, the expert then will work on the homework. Payment must first be made before students receive their solved homework
Pros
• Covers a range of math topics
Cons
• Requires payment
7. iMath
Website: https://www.imath.sg/
About: iMath is a tech-enabled human-centric platform that aims to help students with their homework and enhance their learning by using technology to bring quality learning and caring coaching to any student anytime, anywhere. With the ease of use and the endless possibilities that the Internet provides, iMath desires to give every deserving student the help and assistance that he or she deserves from a nurturing community of math experts and enthusiasts.
How it works: iMath has dependable features that make math homework easier to tackle.
First, there is the on-demand tutor help that allows parents and students to quickly book (within minutes) short, affordable tuition sessions for 30 minutes—perfect for a quick discussion of one or two challenging math problems. With other services, tutor help tends to be an hour minimum, which can cost a lot given that only one or two items will be discussed. A lengthy tutorial session can also eat up the time that a student spends trying to solve his homework alone. Instead of encouraging independent learning, relying solely on a tutor to solve your child’s homework can breed laziness or over-dependence on his part.
In addition, iMath’s Community Wall is an all-around homework saviour for parents and students who find themselves stumped with a particular math problem. With a community of math experts and enthusiasts composed of students, parents, and tutors, iMath’s community all helps provide answers to math problems, with workings included. Simply take a photo of the math problem, submit it, then the community will see your post and help you out. Not only does it encourage asking for help only when needed—the community wall also allows students and parents to solve questions posted by others in the community. This gives students a chance to help out and parents get to assist other kids, too.
Pros
• Has a myriad of other features such as live one-to-one online tutoring for those studying Math abroad; schedule tracking to remind students of their study time and tuition session; recorded tutorial sessions that students can play and refer to during review, etc.
• Instant homework help provided by iMath’s supportive community can be accessed free of charge
• Downloadable on any mobile device via Google Play for Android or App Store for iOs
Cons
• None so far
The Internet is an exciting place filled with information and endless learning possibilities. As such, parents and students should learn to utilize its helpful aspects to make learning easier and more convenient. However, parents should guide their children and teach them to use technology wisely to avoid over-dependence. With iMath, parents can rest assured that their child’s improvement in math is guided by a nurturing community and not just a pay-for-your-homework marketplace. Download the iMath app today to learn more.