Math Tutor Software

There is a wide range of software available both paid and free on the web today. Many of the paid versions also offer free trials so that you can see if the software meets your needs before you commit and buy.

Generally speaking, you will get better quality of software and support on the paid versions which are more likely to be tailored to the needs of your child.

However, you may find that there is a perfectly suited free version of the math software out there that fulfils all of your needs.

When you are looking for software, it is important to look at the standards that the software is teaching.

Each state or country will have their own math curriculum and standards that are expected to be met at each grade.

Although it may not be essential for your child to meet these standards, it is probably highly desirable for the software you are using to follow the standards for your child.

Especially if you are investing in the software so that your child can pass a specific test, then you need to make sure that the software is aimed at the specific test you looking at.

This tends to be a feature that paid software is able to meet much better than free software which can be more generic and less targeted.

If you homeschool your child and you are looking for some tutoring software, then you are in a slightly different position. There is probably more flexibility in the software you can choose from, and you do not have to worry that the software will teach methods that are not consistent with your school's approach.

If your child attends school, then it is even more important the software is geared up towards the curriculum and standards that they will be learning from at school.

This is one of the most important features of buying any math tutor software.

If you cannot try before you buy then you need to be 100% certain that the software meets your needs before you purchase.

Ideally, you want to try out the software for a few weeks before you have to purchase it.

One common problem with any computer software is compatibility issues.

If the math tutor software is too old, it may not run on newer systems. On the other hand, if the software is new, it may not run on older systems.

Problems with installing and running software are quite common, and this is another reason why purchasing software with a free trial is a really good idea!

Web-based software may have fewer compatibility issues than standalone software, but you do need to have a reasonable internet speed to run web software that has lots of animations and videos.

Most math tutoring software today is run on servers on the internet.

The advantages of this for the consumer are that the software can be kept up-to-date easily, and there are fewer compatibility issues.

Another benefit is that companies can tailor their software more closely to the needs of the individual users.

However, a disadvantage is that web access is needed and the internet is a place where it is easy to become distracted by other things!

Your own situation will dictate whether or not web-based math tutor software is a big positive for you or not!

I have compiled a list of some of the different math tutor software that is available.

I have also tried where possible to list any particular features of the software, and any obvious pros and cons.

I believe that the information here about the software is accurate to the best of my knowledge. However, if companies updated their software and release newer versions, then some of this information may become out-of-date.

The math tutor software products listed below are listed in alphabetical order, and have not been graded according to popularity or other ranking.

The Math Salamanders do not endorse any of the software title below, they are simply a selection of what is available for you to use.

The Math Salamanders are not affiliates, and do not receive any payments from any of the companies on this page for showing their products.

This page was last updated in August 2020.

The software in this section need access to the web to use the software.

It is worth checking that your internet speed will cope with the demands of this software, as it is very frustrating to be waiting for animations or videos to download from the internet.

ALEKS is web-based artificially intelligent software that can be used by children from 3rd grade and upwards.

ALEKS has been designed to assess and then track a students learning so that each student will follow their own individual path through their software.

Key features:

• It is web-based.
• The software adapts itself to the learner - it finds out where the learner is and adapts the questions and topics to take the learner on their next steps.
• It is used by widely by many children across hundreds of school and colleges.
• There is also a math fact mastery program available to help kids learn their math facts.
• A free trial of ALEKS software is available - but it does not last very long!

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IXL is another web-based learning program which caters for children from Kindergarten and upwards.

It is used widely and across many countries, from the US, UK, Canada, Australia and Singapore.

Key features:

• It is web-based.
• A huge range of math skills covered, and aligned to the standards of each country.
• A wide range of problems and approaches to math topics so that children get to see things from multiple angles.
• A built in rewards system to keep kids motivated.
• Links to real-world math where appropriate so that children can see the purpose and uses of their learning.
• Detailed reports available to parents which tell you exactly where your child is and what they need to learn next.

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Khan Academy is a widely used free online learning platform which is used for Math, Science, Computing, History and more.

It provides a personalised experience, based on your performance.

There are lots of lessons on video, and practice exercises.

Key features:

• It is web-based.
• Covers a huge range of math skills from 1st grade up to college level.
• Huge range of skills covered.
• Can also be used by teachers to track class performance.

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Mathtutor is a free web-based math software designed to help middle school students grasp areas of math that they are struggling with.

It has been developed by Carnegie Mellon University and it uses intelligent tutoring technology to give step-by-step help and feedback as necessary.

It can also be used by teachers to assign virtual tutors to individual students or classes.

Key Features

• It is web-based and free to use.
• It is aligned to NCTM Curriculum Focal Points.
• It is for middle school students.

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Math Whizz is an online math service for K-8 curriculum (5-13 year olds). It is used quite a lot by homeschoolers, and it is a programme which children can progress through at their own pace.

Key features:

• It can cater for a wide range of children such as Special Needs or Gifted and Talented students.
• It can cater for students from a range of countries.
• There are a range of fun teaching tutorials, animated clips and assessment exercises to check you are making progress.
• It can be used by teachers supporting their students in the classroom, as well as parents at home.

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School Yourself is a free web-based tutoring experience. The learning is personalised with interactive online lessons which involve you doing rather than just watching.

An algorithm then selects the next step for you based on your performance.

Key features:

• It is free to use.
• It offers online interactive lessons.
• Gives you a personalised experience using algorithms.

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PlainMath.net is a collection of math problems complete with solutions.

It is mainly aimed at high school and college students.

It is non-profit and the resources are all provided free.

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The following software titles run on a PC and do not need web access to use.

MathTutor Educational Software is a series of software programs that you purchase separately designed for children from grades 6 to 12.

The software helps kids to become more confident and develop their math skills using interactive math tutorials.

Key Features:

• The software is not web-based but is sold on a disc and runs as a standalone version on a PC.
• The software is available as single user versions or site licences.
• The software contains interactive tutorials and animations which help kids to understand a range of math concepts.

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Mathmedia Software is a standalone suite of math software designed for elementary students and upwards.

There is a range of different software such as their Basic Math Series, Arithmetic Series, Algebra Series and Geometry Series.

Each series contains lots of practice screens, assessment 'quizzes' and audio commentary and animations to support students.

Key features:

• It is not web-based.
• It is aligned to the State Standards of California, Illinois, and Massachusetts.
• Each series is purchased separately, so you can pick and choose which units you are interested in.
• You can also pick and choose specific units within each series that are relevant to your child.

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This webpage will give you some help and advice on what sort of questions to ask and how to select your tutor.

• Online Math Tutor Help

The Math Salamanders hope you enjoy using these free printable Math worksheets and all our other Math games and resources.

We welcome any comments about our site or worksheets on the Facebook comments box at the bottom of every page.