Mathville SkiQuations

Reviewed by Anise Hollingshead
Published by Ingenuity Works

Age Group: Age 8 and Up, Adults
Type: Math
Price: $50

PC version requires:
Windows 3.1/95/98, CD-ROM

Mac version requires:
Version Available

Description:

Mathville SkiQuations is a program that deals with graphs of linear equations through ten graphing activities on a ski slope. The game is self-paced, and students can easily go back to review topics they need extra practice in. Slopes, y-intercepts, and finding points on a line from equations are just some of the topics covered.

Features:

  • Graphs of linear equations
  • Slope and y-intercept forms
  • Interactive graphs
  • 10 activities
  • Work at your own pace

Technical Aspects:

Installation was uneventful, with everything working well. The program is a straightforward teaching tool, with no glitzy animations. The interactive graphs work well, and help demonstrate graphing. There is a timer on the first few activities, which I found disconcerting in an algebra program, but subsequent activities don't have time limitations, although they do have extra points for finishing in a certain time.

Report and Conclusions:

SkiQuations is designed like the other Mathville programs, with a strict educational focus. No arcade games as rewards, no cutesy animation. Instead, what you get is a good review of one of the hardest areas of algebra, the slope of a line and the y-intercept. Notice I said "review", this program's focus is on reviewing concepts already covered in class. As a possible result of this focus, this program lacks one thing: an online help manual explaining graphing basics. Although there are specific help instructions with each activity, there is no manual that you can access at any time and look up definitions. For example, I had forgotten whether it was rise over run, or run over rise, in one activity dealing with slope. I couldn't access a definition in that particular activity, so had to go grab an algebra book to refresh my memory. Later, I found the definition in another activity, but users wouldn't be able to access it unless they were in that activity.

Despite this one drawback, I found this program to be helpful and useful, especially in a classroom. This topic is not one often covered in software, and can be one of the most confusing. I plan on using this with my 1st year Algebra student in my home as soon as he gets to graphs. I recommend this program to algebra teachers who are looking for a program covering this topic.




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