CALC Prime

The choice of which scientific calculator to adopt by schools is one that needs careful thought. The choice will form an intrinsic part of each student's mathematical learning at school and probably at home too. Students grappling with complex maths don't want the calculator itself to be a sticking point.  This app is designed to offer all of the functions that will be needed but to build them around the goal of being easy to use. Of course, well outside of the app's control is what type of functions are allowable by your choice of exam board and this is something prospective buyers must also consider.

 

This is a universal app as at home on the smaller screen of a phone as it is on the larger tablet displays. Of course, you trade the spacious layout of the iPad for the convenience of the form factor on a phone but both feel good to use. Whichever screen you use it on, the app is very pleasing to look at  and easily adjustable to suit you exactly. From a minimalist display in shades of a single colour to a custom background image with parallax scrolling, it can match your aesthetical preferences.

 

All calculators with fully featured scientific capabilities will take some getting used to and this is no different. The interface is controlled predominantly by swipes and other gestures. At first, these do not always feel particularly instinctive, but that is much to do with a muscle memory built on other apps or dedicated calculators. It soon becomes second nature to set up even quite complex calculations and choose different functions. A useful help guide is built in. It remains at heart a scientific calculator and these can be intimidating. For all of its friendly features, the best introduction to it will come direct from a teacher.

 

A calculation history function will be very useful for teachers to look at a student's working out and help them find mistakes. Storing numbers for use in a later calculation is simplicity itself, from a single tap to copy the number ready for pasting later.

 

There are some really useful and easy to access conversion tools which allow an easy change of a number in one unit to another. From the straightforward but time-saving conversion across units of time to more complex ones such as velocity and acceleration, the facility is easy to access and set up.

 

From a classroom perspective, it is almost too easy as it could quite possibly allow children to do conversions without knowing the maths. Skillful teachers should, however, be able to overcome this and students can use it to easily check their own working out. A small but useful feature is a built-in countdown to assist students in managing their work in time-limited situations, such as tests or lesson activities.

 

The app is by no means only useful to schools but it is made especially easy for them to adopt. It has more than one version available for sale to match the set-up and procurement preferences of the buyer and it is also available as part of the volume discount scheme, giving a welcome 50% off bulk buys.

 

This is a great calculator but the likelihood of it being prohibited by exam boards must be kept in mind. Its ability to retain a clear history of calculations can still make it a useful teaching aid in these situations, but teachers will need to balance this against the need for children to practise using a calculator that is allowed in their tests.