Quento

Starting with an answer and a grid containing five numbers and four operation signs, players swipe through two or three numbers, combined with operations, to find the solution. If players find the correct solution, the next puzzle opens up with a new answer and a new set of numbers and operations. If they're wrong, they hear a short beep and the puzzle doesn't change. No hints are provided after the initial instructional round. Once they've mastered a level of two-number equations, the three-number equations open up, eventually offering both options. (Four-number and five-number puzzles are also available for an in-app purchase.) Players can choose to solve for either answer, and many problems have more than one solution. Swiping left opens up the Free Play mode, where players still start with an answer but can swipe as many numbers as they need to find the solution.

Quento walks students through how to play the first time the app is opened; beyond that, the interface is simple with no distractions. The approach gets students thinking critically, especially since each answer could have multiple workable solutions. The in-app purchase can continue the challenge to four- or five-number problems, but Free Play will extend the challenge as well. No scores are kept and no feedback is provided, which makes it impossible for teachers to monitor students' progress within the app, but it's also freeing for students to practice and play without pressure. (They can't move on to another puzzle until they find the correct solution, anyway.) There's also no time pressure to add stress. Students can take as much time as they need to, or move as quickly as they want to.