Math Tooter - Application Page

As a Math Teacher in the U.S. public schools, one of the biggest problems I run into is children counting on their fingers.  The multiplication tables and other number facts are no longer being memorized in the methodical way they once were.  When students go on to Algebra or Geometry, they are too busy calculating answers to focus on the larger concepts at these higher levels.  Math Tooter is a fun return to the most basic of instructional methods:  Flash Cards.  With Math Tutor you can use one of the pre-built stacks of cards to quiz a young person and then see which ones they knew, which ones they missed, and how fast they did them (SPEED is important!).  If you want to build your own stacks of cards (say multiplication for numbers 11 to 15), it’s easy enough to do that.  The Math Tooter provides fun sounds and immediate feedback as well as a score for the person being quizzed to try to beat on the next go round.  Toot, Toot! All Aboard!!

• Get started immediately with 17 stacks of cards consisting of different levels and mixes of Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, and working with negative numbers.
• Eight multiple choice for each flash card.  The choices are in order and all are "reasonable answers".   There are no obvious patterns for guessing.
• Instant visual and aural feedback while going through the flash cards.
• Modify to suit your own needs with the ability to create a stack where you say the range for the first number, the range for the second number, and the operation(s).
• With stacks you are working with, ability to pause, see your progress, and create a subset of just the ones you got wrong.
• With stacks you have completed, ability to see a report of your results including time and sorted with most missed questions at the top of the list.
• With stacks you have completed, ability to create a subset of ones you got wrong more than once, twice, three times, etc.
• Completed Stacks time and date stamped to allow ease of comparing multiple attempts.
• Ability to copy and paste the results of the report.
• Ability to delete and rename stacks and results.
• Fun sounds (with the ability to turn them off in the Settings)
• Tracking of time to complete, correct, incorrect, and skipped cards.
• A score assigned to each stack so you can try to beat your previous score.
  
• Intuitive interface with labels in French, German, Spanish, Indonesian controlled through language Settings (soon in Italian and Hungarian – these are all the languages I know ☺ )
• Built in help instructions (same as bottom of this page) in English Only (sorry!) [If you would like to translate and send to me, I will post in my next version!]
• With stacks you create, advanced features that allow your stacks to skip numbers in a range, turn negative numbers on or off, randomize or put in order, and create a random subset of cards (for instance, if your stack has 200 cards, you can tell it to just pick 25 cards at random for review).
• A suggested stack name for ones you create.  For instance, Numbers 1 to 5 and 4 to 10 for multiplication and division which are put in order would show up as "MD 1..5 4..10 io (70)".  The io is for in order.  The (70) is the number of cards created.  This name can be used or you can delete it with one tap and give it whatever name you like.
• A LITE version which you can download for free.  It only allows addition.  Please support me by buying the full version!!

• My List: Contains Master stacks that you have created. These stacks in remain in your Master list until you delete them.
• Examples:  Contains Master stacks that have been created for you as examples.  You are not able to delete these stacks.

• Master: Takes you back to the front tab with your Master stacks
• Working: Contains the FlashCard Stacks that you are using.  Until you finish going through an entire stack, it will remain in this list. MathTooter remembers how many cards in the stack you already viewed.  It also remembers how many you got right, wrong, or skipped.  Once completed, stacks will be moved from this list to the Reports list.   
• Reports: This list provides reports for all stacks that you have completed.  The reports tell you how many cards you got right and wrong.  It is possible to create new Working stacks for just those cards that you got wrong.  Reports will remain in this list until you delete them.

• CREATING A NEW STACK:  Since each deck is going to be built by creating all the possible combinations available between two number ranges, you need to pick two ranges and you need to pick an operation.  For example, you could choose 1-5 for the first range of numbers, 4-7 for the second range, and the multiplication operation.  This would create a new stack that multiples 1 by every number from 4-7, 2 by every number from 4-7, and so on.  Once you have made these selections, click on the "Back" button.  You will be provided with a suggested name for your new Master stack.  You can use this or choose your own name.  Once created, your new stack will be stored as a Master stack in "My Lists"
• EDITING STACKS:  You can only edit stacks in the Master lists.  To edit, (1) Click Edit.  (2) Click a stack from My Masters or Examples. (3) Make your selections.
• COPY & PASTE REPORTS:  It is possible to copy and paste the content in a Results stack to an email or other application. Simply tap and hold.  Pick Select All.  Then pick Copy.  Open your e-mail or other application and paste it by tapping and holding.
  
• VIEW WORKING REPORT:  This feature shows a report in progress.  Questions that have not been answered show two question marks (??) for the answers.  To see this report, you must click Edit while in the Working list and then click on the item itself (not the delete unlock icon).
• SUBSET:  When viewing a report (for completed or for working), you’ll notice a subset button.  If you click this, it will ask you for a number.  The number is how many times you wrong a problem.  Typing a 1 in will create a stack of cards that was wrong 1 or more times.  Typing in a 2 will create a stack of cards that was wrong 2 or more times. This will create a new stack in the Working list.

ADVANCED FEATURES WHEN BUILDING

• Neg OK:  For subtraction, the stack will not usually allow negative answers.  For instance, 3-7=-4 is not allowed.  Selecting the Negative OK button allows this type of question to be possible.
• Random:  Usually the problems are put together in random order.  If for some reason you want to provide them in order (say for a beginning student), this button allows you to do that.Steps:  Normally the when you select a number range 1 to 10, you get numbers 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10.  If you put in step 2, you would get 1,3,5,7,9.  Step 3 would give you 1,4,7,10.  WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO DO THIS?  Well if you pick numbers 1 to 12 and 1 to 12 for both addition and multiplication this will create 12x12x2 = 288 cards which might be too many for one stack.  To create a smaller sample set of both you might decide to pick 1,3,5,7,9,11 (step 2) for the top number and 1,4,7,10 (step 3) for the second number.  This would only create 6x4x2=48 cards.   OR you could shorten the stack with the option below.
• Max Cards:  Sometimes you may decide a stack has too many cards in it.  You can enter the maximum number of cards you will like.  For instance, if the stack you create has 355 cards, you could type in 100 and get a random selection of 100 cards.If you select this stack from the Master List, it will grab a different 100 cards every time.  If you pause this stack, it will keep the same 100 cards with which you started.
• Note about Division:  When you build a stack that uses division, it does not do exactly what you think it will.  It actually uses the numbers you put in to create a bunch of multiplication problems and then shows them in reverse.  For instance, if you put in 2..5 for the first number and 3..6 for the second number it would actually create problems like 6 divided by 3 is 2 for the first problem and 30 divided by 6 is 5 for the last problem.  Said another way, the first number is the answer and the second number is the divisor. 
  

Mike Taylor is both a teacher and a programmer.  He holds a Masters Degree in Education from NWMSU and a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science from Duke University.  Although he started his career in the private sector, he gravitated to teaching. He is currently teaching Math and Technology at a public high-school in California.  Mike sharpens his programming skills from time-to-time by re-entering industry.  He wants to thank his wife, Janine, for putting up with his geekiness, offering suggestions for the non-geek who may use his application, and correcting his convoluted help instructions.