PhotoMath app solves equations for you

2014-10-24 15:39 China Daily Web Editor: Yao Lan

PhotoMath app solves equations for you

Say it with us: Kids today have it sooooo easy.

A new smartphone app will do their math homework for them, provided it's not too complicated. PhotoMath by microblink uses a phone's camera to solve equations and then teaches you the step-by-step method for solving it yourself.

The app can do arithmetic: addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. It can handle fractions. It knows what 2³ is and can calculate the root of 246. It can even do simple linear equations, provided the x you're solving for is italicized so the app doesn't confuse it with the x multiplication symbol.

The only catch is that the equation you're trying to solve must be printed text, rather than handwritten. So forget trying to calculate that tip by scribbling it on a restaurant napkin. (Don't worry, there's already a million apps for that.)

The app may pose a problem for schools are already dealing with smartphone overload. Math teachers will have to be extra vigilant during tests to prevent students from cheating.

The PhotoMath app is available for iPhones and Windows phones and is coming to Android phones in 2015.

学渣福音：数学APP拍照就出答案

跟着我们一起说：今天的孩子们过得太舒服了。

据CNN10月22日报道，Microblink公司推出了一款新型智能手机应用PhotoMath，能轻松帮助学生解决数学题——只要不是太复杂。只需要将手机的摄像头对准要计算的方程式，PhotoMath便会给出清晰的解题步骤。

PhotoMath目前可以解决基本运算加减乘除，还能处理分数。例如，它可以计算出246的根以及2³的值。它甚至还能解决简单的线性方程。不过，在使用时，用户需保证x是斜体的，否则PhotoMath不能区分出x和乘号。

不过，PhotoMath目前只能识别打印字体的方程，手写的还无法识别。因此，不要去尝试用PhotoMath去解决写在餐巾纸上的问题。（别担心，其它很多应用都能识别手写体。）

这款应用可能会造成问题，因为学校已经在处理智能手机的很多问题。为了防止学生在考试时用PhotoMath作弊，数学老师在监考时需十分警惕。

目前，这款应用支持iPhone和Windows phone用户，而Android用户则要等到2015年。