System Requirements

PC / Mac Price Survey

Product Support

Math Advantage 2002 is a series of CD-ROMs covering the following topics: Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, Trignometry, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, AP Calculus, Statistics, AP Statistics. The program is best-suited for students who are studying these subjects and want additional review and practice.

Each CD-ROM requires a user to sign-in and then choose from a main menu with the following selections: Tutorial, Examination, Game, Interactive Zone, Help, Report Card, Parent/Teacher Corner, Math History, and Online Resources.

The Tutorial is traditional – it is simply textbook material made "high-tech" through its placement on a CD. Perhaps if a student is studying for a standardized test, this material will provide review and drill. But a cheaper alternative might be to check-out textbooks from the library that can be used and returned.

The Parent/Teacher conference section provides lesson plans for applying acquired knowledge to real-life settings. For example, in the Geometry CD, students must use their knowledge of geometry to design an Egyptian tourism center in Washington D.C. that fits certain building parameters and retail requirements. So having one teacher copy of this CD in a math department might prove useful if teachers are interested in developing a library of "real-life" student projects..

Teachers and parent can review student performance by looking at student "report cards."

Let's be honest -- kids are not likely to pick up this CD package and explore it for fun. The tutorial material is presented in a dry fashion. Most kids would use this CD to review for an exam that they are required to take. The CD does include historical tidbits, an "interactive" area where solutions to problems are shown step-by-step, and detailed examples. But all of these ideas are also available within most existing textbooks.

The CDs do not allow students to proceed to the game section until they earn a "Good" score on their section test. This structure may encourage students to study the material thoroughly.

The program is simple to install on a Macintosh; the only skills required are pointing and clicking on icons. The program menu is easy to navigate. The CD comes with a manual and a built-in tutorial, but a student could decipher the workings of the program by herself.

This program is best-suited for students who want practice in a particular mathematical subject for a classroom exam or standardized test. The CDs are not particularly innovative though they incorporate math history and games. A teacher might find one copy of this CD beneficial if he wanted to develop projects in which students could apply their knowledge.

See SuperKids' comparisons with other math software titles, and the Buyers Guide for current market prices of the PC and Mac versions.

PC: Windows 95/98 /ME. Pentium 200MHz, 16 MB Ram, 8 MB hard disk space, 4X CD Rom, 800 x 600/256 color video card, 100% Sound Blaster compatible sound card, Quick Time 4.0 (included) .

Mac: Power Macintosh or better. System 7.5 or higher. 16 MB Ram, 8 MB free hard disk space, 4X CD-Rom, 680x480 screen resolution.

Reviewed on:
-     Macintosh I-book, Power PC G3, 500 MHz

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