CHAPTER I

PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Background of the Study

Mathematics is the science of structure, order, and relation that has evolved from elemental
practices of counting, measuring, and describing the shapes of objects. It deals with the logical
reasoning and quantitative calculation, and its development has involved an increasing degree of
idealization and abstraction of its subject matter. Since the 17 th century, mathematics has been an
indispensable adjunct to the physical sciences and technology and in more recent times it has
assumed a similar role in the quantitative aspects of the life sciences. J.J Gray et.al.

As humankind starts to progress and develop for the past few centuries, technology and
internet has become a major contributor to all that humans do in order to make things easier and
faster. Technology and internet is also a major factor for knowledge and teaching. Now a days
majority of students have been using cell phones, laptops, tablets and other similar devices to access
the internet and look for answer to problems with just the push of a button and just at the tip of finger
tips.

In the field of education many students are struggling to answer mathematical problems and
equations. Some students find it difficult to solve problems manually and tend to use calculators and
other measuring and computing instruments to make solving much easier. As technology keeps on
advancing, there are now applications online that are free, downloadable, easy to use , accessible and
accurate that can solve mathematical problems in an instant known as mathematics solving
applications.

Mathematics solving applications are applications that can be found in the internet which can
be downloaded by anyone with mobile phones, with simply placing the smartphone over the math
problem or equation. It uses the smartphones camera for analysing the problem and giving the
solution instantaneously. The result is given out in detailed step by step instructional manner with a
smart calculator. You can easily solve the problem by writing it on the apps screen.
Different types of Mathematical Solving Applications

PhotoMath

The best app for solving mathematical problem. It uses augmented reality, which means that
you can simply point your camera at any piece of paper with an equation or an arithmetic problem
and it will find a solution. There are limitations of course. At the moment, the app can’t recognise
handwritten problems, but does a good job identifying printed ones. It uses the smartphones camera
for analysing the problem and giving the solution instantaneously. The result is given out in detailed
step by step instructional manner with a smart calculator. You can easily solve the problem by
writing it on the apps screen.

The user can easily solve the mathematical problems based on integers, arithmetic, decimal,
algebraic expressions, graphs and many more. This application is providing animated explanation
and the smartphone user just need to copy down the solution from the device to their notebook. This
math problem solver app supports about 36 languages at all to help a large number of people.

Solve4x

A free iOS app comes with an equation solver where can either manually type in an equation
for it to solve, or can snap a picture and automatically process the entire equation. Can also use a
photo that already been saved to the gallery. It works with printed text, and even then there can be
some garbled text, so a little light text editing after the picture is taken is required at time. One
limitation is that the app doesn’t support equations –the idea is that parents can use it to verify the
results that their kids get-, without having to remain up to date with complex algebra, though might
want to kept your kids away from smartphones in that case.

iMathematics

Type in equations and solves them. The paid version can solve a wider range of equation than
photomath does. Aside from this, the app also includes various learning modules, which discuss in a
more detail in the section below. The only downside is that unlike photomath however, with
iMathematics, one can have to enter the equations manually- one can’t just take a picture of the
equations.
MyScriptCalculator

This app recognise handwriting, so one can draw equations on the screen and it will solve
them right away. It supports basic arithmetic, squares and cube roots, apart from trigonometry,
logarithms and percentages. You can also draw and it will tell you the correct answer.

We like this app very much, but it doesn’t always recognise handwriting perfectly. Letting it
to perform a simple cube root calculation was a problem because it couldn’t recognise our input
properly. But when it does work, this app is pretty handy.

PCalc

There are several great scientific calculator apps on the iOS App Store, but PCalc takes the
cake because it also has a beautiful Notification Centre widget. This means that you don’t even need
to launch the app when you need perform calculations- just swipe down from the top of your screen
no matter what you’re doing and get started.

Scientific Calculator

For android users, this is probably the best alternative. The app includes a range of functions
including trigonometry, logarithms, exponential functions and it includes an equation history so you
can see what work you did to reach your results. Equation syntax highlighting,bracket highlighting,
and separate modes for scientific and engineering calculations make it a great choice, but most of all,
this free app is also ad free

Scientific Calculator for windows phone

While this app has the same name as our choice for android, the two are from different
companies and look and work different too. However, this app does have a nice interface, functions
from exponentials to logarithmic to trigonometric functions. It also has a separate tab for history
where you can see the calculations you have carried out.

Graphing Calculator

An actual graphing calculator like the T1-84 will still cost around 100 dollars, but one find
plenty of apps with the same functionality. This app by mathlab is one of the nicest one seen, and it
appears to work really well too. Over 10 000 people on the plays store rated it 5 stars and aside from
the functionality, which you will find in a lot of different apps, we liked this one for its design, which
is better than the most similar apps
Khan Academy

A video tutorials justifiably famous and cover various subjects including mathematics. All
that needs to do is install the app, pick your subjects and start watching the tutorial videos,take down
notes how the tutor solve the question.

Meritnation

Is the digital equivalent of a guide book for Indian students. It covers from class 6 to 12, for
CBSE, ICSE and state boards of Maharashtra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Free n android and iOS, the
mathematics section includes problems from each the chapter and gives you the solution. For the
students in India who want to use an app specifically to help prepare for their exams, this will be
useful. The app does require a mandatory registration, and asks for your mobile number, and much
of the advanced content is also unlocked through the Meritnation website. That does mean that you
can unlock access on multiple platforms, but its slightly inconvenient otherwise.

Marthematicus

Is a good app if having trouble remembering mathematical formulae. The app serves as a
database for all important formulae and you can just fire it up anytime and look for what you need. It
stacks these formulae by topics, which means you can find all trigonometry formulae under one
group and so on. The app doesn’t do too many things, but for the specific use of looking up
formulae.
Conceptual framework

Identify a problem Data Gathering Presentation

Procedures

After identifying the

The perception of
freshmen civil
engineering students of
Northwestern
University on the use of
mahemathics solving
applications.
problem researchers
must plan on the
procedures to follow
for make it easier to After analysing the
conduct the study. data gathered and
completing all the
First to search on procedure the
related studies, then researchers are now
make request letter, ready for presenting
starts with the different their study to the
chapters, next is to panel of judges.
select an appropriate
respondents , create a
questionnaire then
conduct survey, analyse
and interpret then
finally present.

Theoretical framework

Statement of the problem

This study is conduct to determine the perceptions of freshman Civil Engineering students of
Northwestern University to the use of mathematics solving applications. Specifically, it seeks to
answer the following questions 1. Do you find mathematics a difficult subject 2.Are you using
mathematics solving applications? 3. Are you allowed to use mathematics solving applications?
4. What are the mathematics solving applications that you are using? 5. How often are you use
mathematics solving applications? 6. Does mathematics solving applications helps you understand
mathematics? 7. Are you satisfied with the answers in mathematics solving applications 8.Do you
recommend using mathematics solving applications?
Significants of the Study

This study will be beneficial to the following;

Students . To give them idea and information about the different kinds of mathematics
solving applications, usage, performance and helps them to pick the best mathematics solving
applications to use.

Teachers. To give them information on what is mathematics solving applications, and create
some action whether they would allow using it.

Schools and universities. To give an action whether it will be allowed to use mathematics
solving applications in teaching.

Parents. To inform them about the different mathematics solving applications that there are
using and use it to check whether the homework or activities of their children are correct.

Future Researchers. To conduct further more studies about mathematics solving

applications.

Scope and Delimitations

This is study is limited only to the Freshmen Northwestern University Civil Engineering
students of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte currently enrolled at the school year 2019-2020 which a sample
size will be taken using the slovins formula and a questionnaire will be given to collect data about
their perception about the use of different mathematics solving applications.

Definition of terms

Augmented reality – is an interactive experience of a real world environment where the

objects that reside in the real world are enhanced by computer generated perceptual
information.

iOS – is a mobile operating system created and develop by apple.

Mathematics solving application - application where in any one can download, and can be
used by anyone with their smartphones to solve different math problem in an instant.

Smartphones – are class of mobile phones and of multi-purpose mobile computing devices.
 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents the review of the related literature and the studies it provides an
overview of previous research about the perception of students to the use of mathematics solving
applications.