WolframAlpha, the interesting ‘computational knowledge engine‘ launched earlier this year, has come up with a new doobry to interest lazy high-school and college math students everywhere…
Users of the super-numerate search engine can henceforth select ‘show steps’ after submitting a particular math problem for a solution.
Google super-users have long known that you can get answers to sometimes complex questions via the google search box – try typing ’5 factorial’ or ’12 mph in cm/s’ – but WolframAlpha takes that computational whizzery to the next level.
Needless to say, most Math-Whizzers shouldn’t (yet) need the assistance of this service in solving, and showing the working for, how to find the roots of quadratic equations. But I suspect this will rapidly become one of the most (ab)used tools in the young mathematician’s armoury.
Use at your peril!