Parents' Guide to

Photomath

By Debbie Gorrell, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Point, scan, solve support tool; watch for cheating.

App iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android Free Education
Photomath Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

  • Photomath App: Screenshot #1
  • Photomath App: Screenshot #2
  • Photomath App: Screenshot #3
  • Photomath App: Screenshot #4

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 5 parent reviews

Alex D.
Alex D. Adult
January 16, 2023
age 10+

This title has:

Educational value
Marnie Buys
Marnie Buys Adult
April 12, 2021
age 18+

Big Scam

I tried to subscribe for the monthly fee, it automatically did a year subscription without my consent. When I cancelled it, about an hour later, the email I got was to say that there is no refunds. Avoid at ALL costs!! Although the app itself is nice, the method in which they get your money is almost criminal.

This title has:

Too much consumerism
See all 5 parent reviews

What’s It About?

PHOTOMATH – CAMERA CALCULATOR is just what the name implies: Simply aim a device's camera at a math problem, making sure the problem fits within the rectangular scanning field. The app scans the problem and displays a stepped-out solution within seconds. With the handwriting recognition feature, kids can write their problems on paper, and the app will scan and solve them as long as the handwriting is neat enough. There's also a calculator for entering problems manually. By pinching and dragging the rectangle, kids can resize the scanning area. They can also edit problems and share via web links.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5):
Kids say (7):

This easy-to-use app is a useful support tool that shows the steps involved in solving math problems, but parents should make sure that kids don't use it as a shortcut for completing assignments. There's a brief intro tutorial that walks users through features, and a help section answers common questions and allows users to submit their own questions. Photomath - Camera Calculator supports many types of math problems, but there's a moderately long list of problem types it does not support. Although the free version is quite handy, the subscription version provides detailed explanations of solutions, is reasonably priced, and could really help struggling kids if used properly. A feature for solving geometry and graphing problems would be a great addition.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the importance of using Photomath – Camera Calculator as a learning support tool rather than a shortcut. Kids should not depend on the app to complete assignments; instead, they should use it to help them understand the steps involved in solving math problems.

  • Challenge kids to solve problems on their own first and then use the app to check their answers. If an answer is incorrect, have them look at each step of the solution to find out where they went wrong.

App Details

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