Click here to go to MathGalaxy.com

Another Math program. Yep, there are lots of them out there, and I'd say that's a pretty good clue that math can be a tough subject to learn as well as teach.

My first thoughts were, "I wonder how Math Galaxy is different from the many other math software programs out there?" So I went to the website and read through their philosophy to learn more. I thought this part summed it up pretty well:

***Math Galaxy starts from the beginning, with addition and multiplication tables and single-digit operations, but its main focus is on where children start having trouble with math: multi-step problem-solving. There are enough programs out there that teach number recognition and simple operations, with dancing bears and other frills, but stop short of where students start having trouble, making the leap from familiar and concrete experiences to abstract thinking.

I was really happy to see that there are activities all the way up through 12th grade level, as I haven't seen many programs so far dealing with upper level operations.

Our crew had our choice of downloads from among their many programs. Each program is sold on cd-rom and includes both Windows and Mac on the disk.

They basically offer two different types of programs:

*The "FUN" programs offer comprehensive tutorials with practice problems in the given subject that can be worked explaining steps or just giving final answer. The rewards for correct answers can be used to play the games. Included in each program are Word Jumbles, Riddles, Bridge the Swamp games and Labyrinth mazes. These programs are $29.95 per CD-Rom disk.

*The worksheet generators offer an unlimited number of problems, and 500 riddles of the given subject. These programs are $29.95 per CD-Rom disk.

*The eBooks contain 130 of the 500 riddles and worksheets available in the worksheet generators software for those who prefer pdf eBook format. These programs are $14.95 per CD-Rom disk.

For review I chose to download all of the available "FUN" programs except the Word Problems,  and the Algebra riddles program.

To see the other programs and a screenshot example of each click here.

You can also download some samples to check out on the website, as well as get the free Java plugin it takes to run the program on your computer here.

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How did we like Math Galaxy?

At first glance I thought, "Wow, what a colorful overload" when I saw the brightly colored screen and topic format. But as I opened and began to explore the way it worked, I was really impressed. The explanations and ease of use are very user friendly and I love that this program is more than just math fact drills.  The mulitiplication, for instance (which is a part of the whole numbers fun), has two different solution modes, traditional or alternative ways to solve the problems. There are other variations as well such as choosing step by step problem solving or answer only.  I went through several of the multiplication problems with one, two and three place multipliers with my 9 year old and she enjoyed it. I turned my 13 year old loose on the pre-algebra program, and she figured out we have a ways to go on understanding operations, LOL.  I love that each program includes a category on explanations of how the operations work.  If the student gets stuck, they can always go back an review this.

So would I recommend this program to others?

CERTAINLY!! To other homeschoolers and public school attendees alike, anyone learning math could most certainly benefit from these programs. It is straight forward math practice complete with explanations and just the right amount of fun to motivate students to continue to practice and learn this vital part of education.

Check out what my crewmates thought of Math Galaxy on the Crew Blog.

Chris

These downloads were received free of charge as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew for purpose of review. No other compensation was received; opinions expressed here are my own.