Is Using PhotoMath Cheating?
Take a small sample of 100 people. These can either be students or graduates and ask which course they find the most challenging. I can guarantee an overwhelming majority will identify maths as the most difficult course they had to take.
For many students and even graduates worldwide, the word maths induces some level of fear in them. This problem is so severe that there’s even a word, or should I say words, given to the fear of dealing with mathematics. A condition, known as Numerophobia, arithmophobia, or mathematics anxiety.
I have a bachelor of science in mathematics and I still get anxious when faced with a math problem sometimes. It’s like a football player anxious whenever he’s passed a ball by another player. You expect and hope to receive the ball but may still get nervous when you receive it.
Luckily the advancements in technology make learning mathematics easy in our modern-day. With online courses, educational resource platforms like Chegg and Course Hero, and math applications on the market, learning maths has never been easier.
Math applications like Mathway and Photomath are now available on the market to help students solve math problems by providing step-by-step approaches to solving these problems.
While these applications serve as valuable resources to students, there’re concerns surrounding their usage as some students tend to misuse them.
What Is Photomath
Photomath is an app that utilizes an advanced neural network to analyze maths problems and help students solve and understand them by providing step-by-step solutions.
This software when used properly becomes an asset not only to students but to teachers and parents as well. Ever had your child ask for your help in solving a math problem only for you to look through the question and not be able to help them?
It could be that you can solve the question but only forget something necessary to that end. Photomath is the answer as parents can get the step-by-step approach to solving the problem to help their children better understand a math problem.
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How Does Photomath Work
The software uses an advanced neural network to analyze written and printed text math problems for solving. Once a question has been identified, it is solved, a step-by-step solution is provided to the student.
Unlike Mathway, steps to solving a math problem are available in the free version of the Photomath application. However, a subscription enables students to further access a detailed explanation of each respective step.
Input options for questions include:
· Camera Input
The software accesses the user’s phone camera to identify typed or written math equations. Any identified math equation is then converted into computer letters and numbers to be solved
· Calculator Input
Users can also use the calculator option to input their math equations for solving.
Is Photomath Cheating
No. Using Photomath doesn’t constitute cheating when used as a math resource tool to facilitate a better understanding of math problems. Using Photomath in an examination environment would however constitute cheating.
Just like Chegg and Course Hero, Photomath is an educational resource tool. Unfortunately, some students resort to using these apps for cheating which can lead some institutions to outright ban the use of some of these applications.
That said, the application is meant as a tool to facilitate a better understanding of math problems and the approaches to successfully tackling them. This tool is currently leveraged not only by students but teachers and parents as a resource to help students and their wards gain a better understanding of math problems.
Using Photomath is similar to having a personal tutor at home. It’s not against the rules to have a tutor, an older sibling, or a parent who teaches you at home. It’s not cheating to receive help from them when you’re learning any maths concept or you’re having challenges solving a math problem.
It only becomes a problem when you simply give them your homework to do for you so you can present without personally understanding the assignment. In the same way, Photomath is a great tool that can help students solve and understand math problems.
Unfortunately, it becomes counterproductive when students simply copy solutions and present them to their teachers as their own. Students learn nothing in this case and while they may pass their assignments, they would most likely fail their examinations where using Photomath is not allowed.
Does Photomath Solve Word Problems
Yes, although, a feature only available to Photomath Plus users. Photomath solves word problems for a limited but increasing number of textbooks. Users can find the list of these textbooks by clicking the book icon.
Photomath Plus users can also vote on books they’d like included in this increasing library of textbooks.
Advantages Of Photomath
- User-friendly interface
- AI-powered calculator
- Solves advanced problems
- Step-by-step solution for free users
- Mobile and web applications available
- In-built glossary and help sections
- Graphic and text explanations
- Deeper explanations
- AI-powered animated tutorials
- Multiple languages
- Multiple question input options (Text, Camera)
Disadvantages Of Photomath
- Student misuse
- Word problems available on subscription
- Animated tutorials only available on subscription
Is Photomath Plus Worth It
Yes. Although the free version of Photomath provides access to step-by-step solutions, Photomath Plus is affordable and provides access to detailed explanations, ai-powered animated tutorials, word problems solutions, and custom-made solutions to math problems.
Is Photomath Worth It For Experts
Yes, Photomath experts can make a decent side income depending on the number of problems solved and their complexity. Revenue per question could range from $0.65 to $3 depending on the complexity of the problem.
Tutors can register and take the necessary tests including an English proficiency test to become experts in any particular or more fields. While answering each question may not seem like much, the quantity and quality of questions answered could lead to a good side income for experts.
Why Does Photomath Have Experts
While Photomath’s advanced neural network can analyze and solve math problems, some questions including word problems that aren’t included in the library cannot be solved by this neural network. Photomath relies on experts to solve these problems.
A typical example is a question like this:
How many cookies did you sell if you sold 320 chocolate cookies and 270 vanilla cookies
Such questions, when not already included in the database would be difficult to solve automatically. This is where Photomath Experts come in as they are tested to ensure their expertise on relevant topics and then paid based on the quantity and quality of solutions they provide.
Can Teachers Tell If You Use Photomath
No. User information is kept private by Photomath as such teachers have no way of identifying student usage. That said, teachers may be able to identify student cheating when they do well in assignments but fail examinations.
Photomath should therefore only be used as a math study resource tool for better understanding of math problems. Improper usage of this tool could lead to disciplinary actions including suspension, exam cancellation, detention, or even expulsion when used during an examination.
Is Photomath Accurate
Yes. Photomath math solutions are accurate assuming the right questions are captured for solving. Depending on the legibility of the written or typed question, Photomath may not be able to easily identify the exact question. Users should therefore ensure the right questions have been captured to receive the right answers.
