Review by Emily Pohlonski, Common Sense Education | Updated May 2013
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Web2.0Calc.com

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Basic, useful online calculator's got the tools, could use more guidance

Subjects & skills
Subjects
  • Math
Skills
  • Critical Thinking
Grades This grade range is a recommendation by Common Sense Education and not the developer/publisher.
7–12
Great for:
Common Sense says (See details)
Teachers say (1 Review)
Price:  Free
Platforms:  Website

Take a look inside

5 images
Web2.0Calc.com is a free online calculator with tons of options.
Graphs of all shapes and sizes can be made instantly.
Systems of equations can be solved using the scientific calculator.
Various tool bars allow kids to trace points and zoom in and out on graphs.
Students can ask questions on a free online math forum.

Pros: Kids can perform all kinds of calculations without an expensive graphing calculator, and the forums are a nice addition.

Cons: More detailed directions for kids and classroom use ideas for teachers would be helpful.

Bottom Line: For a free tool, it's not too shabby; Web2.0Calc does everything from graphing functions to solving matrices.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

Web2.0Calc.com can be made accessible to your students in a variety of ways. Try placing the widget on your class website, or suggest that students download the free Android app to have calculator access on their phone. Practically speaking, if students are using this tool as their only graphing calculator, you may want to think about how this will work on tests; it can be harder to manage than a traditional graphing calculator because students access it through the Web and/or their cell phone. This makes it less obvious when kids use other Web-based applications to communicate with each other during assessments. If this is a concern, consider having a class set of regular graphing calculators and encouraging kids to use this site at home for homework and practice. 

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Standards:

Web2.0Calc.com is a free online calculator. You can choose whether you'd like it to act as a scientific, graphing, or programing calculator, which allows you to do anything from plotting a linear equation to solving matrices. It can be used in any class that requires a complex calculator. You don't have to register for the site, but if you do, you'll be able to post questions in the forums. There's also an option to create a widget that you can add to your own website.

Regular graphing calculators can cost at least $100. Web2.0Calc.com provides the same capabilities for free. Other sites, like Fooplot, offer similar tools, but Web2.0Calc.com has a broader range of calculating options.

It's simply a tool, so learning really depends on who is using it and what they're using it for. Compared to an actual graphing calculator, the price (free) can't be beat, and it serves the same purpose. However, Web2.0Calc.com could be improved by the addition of support for teachers using it with their classes. Currently, teachers who use it need to design their own activities and instruction sheets to help kids use Web2.0Calc.com effectively. A nice bonus: There's a free online math help forum. However, anyone can post responses to the questions, so reliability and quality of help varies.

Overall Rating
Engagement Is the product stimulating, entertaining, and engrossing? Will kids want to return?

Design is very basic but also very clean, which may make it easier for kids to focus on the math. Excitement-wise, it's as fun as any calculator; it depends on what you're working on.

Pedagogy Is learning content seamlessly baked-in, and do kids build conceptual understanding? Is the product adaptable and empowering? Will skills transfer?

By eliminating some of the obstacles presented by computation, easily accessible, free online calculators like this one help kids focus on problem-solving skills. This site also gives kids a place to ask and review questions -- bonus!

Support Does the product take into account learners of varying abilities, skill levels, and learning styles? Does it address both struggling and advanced students?

Question-and-answer forums help kids with all kinds of math questions. Plus, calculators and instructions are available in five different languages.

Common Sense Reviewer
Emily Pohlonski Classroom teacher
About our ratings and privacy evaluation.

Key Standards Supported

Interpreting Categorical And Quantitative Data

  • HSS.ID.8

    Compute (using technology) and interpret the correlation coefficient of a linear fit.

  • HSS.ID.4

    Use the mean and standard deviation of a data set to fit it to a normal distribution and to estimate population percentages. Recognize that there are data sets for which such a procedure is not appropriate. Use calculators, spreadsheets, and tables to estimate areas under the normal curve.

  • HSS.ID.6

    Represent data on two quantitative variables on a scatter plot, and describe how the variables are related.

Interpreting Functions

  • HSF.IF.7

    Graph functions expressed symbolically and show key features of the graph, by hand in simple cases and using technology for more complicated cases.

Reasoning With Equations And Inequalities

  • HSA.REI.11

    Explain why the x-coordinates of the points where the graphs of the equations y = f(x) and y = g(x) intersect are the solutions of the equation f(x) = g(x); find the solutions approximately, e.g., using technology to graph the functions, make tables of values, or find successive approximations. Include cases where f(x) and/or g(x) are linear, polynomial, rational, absolute value, exponential, and logarithmic functions.

  • HSA.REI.12

    Graph the solutions to a linear inequality in two variables as a half- plane (excluding the boundary in the case of a strict inequality), and graph the solution set to a system of linear inequalities in two variables as the intersection of the corresponding half-planes.

  • HSA.REI.6

    Solve systems of linear equations exactly and approximately (e.g., with graphs), focusing on pairs of linear equations in two variables.

  • HSA.REI.7

    Solve a simple system consisting of a linear equation and a quadratic equation in two variables algebraically and graphically. For example, find the points of intersection between the line y = –3x and the circle x2 + y2 = 3.

Trigonometric Functions

  • HSF.TF.7

    (+) Use inverse functions to solve trigonometric equations that arise in modeling contexts; evaluate the solutions using technology, and interpret them in terms of the context.

Vector And Matrix Quantities

  • HSN.VM.7

    (+) Multiply matrices by scalars to produce new matrices, e.g., as when all of the payoffs in a game are doubled.

  • HSN.VM.8

    (+) Add, subtract, and multiply matrices of appropriate dimensions.

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Teacher Reviews

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Featured review by
Matt H. , Other
Other
North Allegheny School District
Pittsburgh, United States
Great calculator tool, with additional forums and formulas available to students.
I believe that this is a beneficial tool to help students both in the classroom setting, as well as at home. I really like how there is a forum, formula, and help section available for students. These sections are by no means extraordinary when it comes to building understanding. However, they do offer extra support to students when the teacher/classmates are not available. I like how this calculator can accomplish a huge variety of mathematical operations. The fact that it is free to use, allows students that do not have access to scientific/graphing calculators, to still complete all of the necessary calculations that occur in a middle/high school math class. This could really serve teachers and students better during instruction that occurs outside of the classroom (flipped learning/blended learning/homework.)
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